VALDOSTA —
Seems to be a different war on Christmas this year.
Not one where anyone is opposed to the holiday or hopes to substitute the word Christmas with Winter Festival.
No, this one seems to be a desire by some to simply keep Christmas where it belongs as the season that comes after Thanksgiving, not before Thanksgiving, or even before Halloween.
Our ongoing Readers Poll on valdostadailytimes.com asks, which is it too early for? Christmas before Thanksgiving, 2016 presidential candidate, or both. As of early Wednesday, 47 readers answered that it’s too early for Christmas before Thanksgiving, 54 voted too early for 2016 presidential candidates, 210 answered both.
Granted, we didn’t provide a spot for people who favor celebrating Christmas. Indeed, even Charles Dickens noted that his famous Scrooge upon being transformed celebrated each day with Christmas in his heart. Dickens did not say, however, that Scrooge celebrated the first of November with a Christmas tree by his hearth.
Stores opened Christmas sections weeks ago. Some folks have already decorated Christmas trees in their homes. But it seems for every person who has posted a photo of their Christmas tree on Facebook, there are 10 people who have posted a cartoon of Tom Turkey pushing Santa out of the photo with the turkey proclaiming, It’s my turn first!
Meanwhile, even though an early Thanksgiving gives everyone an extra week for Christmas shopping this year, several stores have decided that’s just not enough. Some stores will open Thanksgiving Day to give shoppers the opportunity to shop for Christmas presents while digesting the T-Day meal. Black Friday is now eating into Thanksgiving Thursday. You would think stores would remember their employees also have families. As if being awake, up and at the store in the middle of the night after Thanksgiving wasn’t bad enough, these employees will now miss being at home with families on Thanksgiving … that smacks more of bah, humbug rather than Merry Christmas.
But, like it or not, the hysteria of Christmas is here. The real meaning of the holiday is a little more humble and far greater.
Still, we can’t help but find it ironic that we have moved to a world where the day set aside to be thankful for what we already have is being lost to a desire to have even more.
What We Think
An un-merry early Christmas
- What We Think
-
-
Thoughts on graduation
Graduation ceremonies reflect how life marches on. For the students receiving their diplomas and degrees, graduation is a culmination of the majority of their lives’ work.
-
Thumbs up, thumbs down
THUMBS UP: To Dr. John Gaston, retiring dean of Valdosta State University’s College of the Arts. For the past 10-plus years, Gaston has worked to build a more interconnected program with various artistic and communications departments working together. Given that you are likely to see one College of the Arts department collaborating with another during events is proof of Gaston’s success.
-
On the go this weekend
Take a breath.
-
Sharing the roads with motorcycles
With the recent pleasant temperatures and sunny skies, the number of motorcycles on area roads has increased.
-
Thank your local law enforcement today
Today, May 15, was designated Peace Officers Memorial Day back in 1962 when President John F. Kennedy was in office.
-
Visit musical roots this weekend
Beginning Saturday, May 18, Nashville, Ga., will be hosting a special Smithsonian exhibit, “New Harmonies: Celebrating American Roots Music.” The exhibit will continue through the end of June and Nashville has done a tremendous job in promoting and planning for the exhibit.
-
Happy Mother’s Day!
A few years ago, a television commercial asked, Who first believed in you? Many folks may have instinctively answered by simply saying, Mom.
-
Thumbs up
THUMBS UP: To mail workers, volunteers and food bank staff for gathering food for the annual Stamp Out Hunger postal food drive today. A plastic bag designated for canned goods and other non-perishable food items should have arrived in your mailbox earlier this week. If you haven’t already, take a few moments to fill the bag with food and hang from your mailbox. If you didn’t receive the special Stamp Out Hunger bag, any plastic bag filled with food will do. This food drive helps feed thousands of South Georgians annually. Valdosta-Lowndes County often donates more food than nearly all other cities and counties in Georgia.
-
Celebrating nurses
She is considered the founder of modern nursing so it seems only natural that National Nurses Week would include Florence Nightingale’s birthday.
-
Helping the hungry: Mail it in!
Valdosta-Lowndes County continues revealing its generous spirit.
- More What We Think Headlines
-
Thoughts on graduation
