One Day Sale! Peace, Goodwill Towards Men...25% Off!


I agree with Charlie Brown: Christmas is one big commercial. Buy this, buy that. Christmas isn't a religious holiday (wasn't some important bearded fella born around now?) so much as it is an excuse for stores to have sales. That Scandinavian country had the right idea when they passed a law prohibiting the display of Christmas advertising until after December 6th. Yowsa! Now THERE'S a quality of life law. Unfortunately, I suppose that First Amendment thing would put a stop to that here though.

Instead, we are constantly bombarded with window displays and themed sales beginning not after Thanksgiving, not even after Halloween, but after -- get this -- Labor Day! By the time Thanksgiving rolls around, I want it to be Groundhog Day already.

Now I'm not against the giving of gifts when it's a thoughtful gesture or that one of a kind thing made by a friend's talented (or even not so talented) hands. But when I'm subjected to a barrage of "BUY THIS NOW!" advertising, it tends to make me want to do the opposite and not buy anything at all. Perhaps if I keep my TV turned off for the months of November and December, and don't empty the mailbox, I could evade the onslaught...

--Shirley Loh


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