Dollar store surprise.....

I stopped into the dollar store today with one of my kids for some cheap 9-volt batteries and guess what I found in one of the aisles?

CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS!!

I did a double take at first and asked myself if I really was seeing Christmas stuff already out in AUGUST and, yep, I was! I couldn't believe it. There were wreaths, big velvet red bows, tinsel and other such items. I remember seeing Christmas items last year in the stores around September and I was disgusted then. But seriously, school hasn't even started yet, people!

BUT THEN.....

I went downstairs into my "storage" room and gazed upon the gobs of this year's Christmas gifts already bought for neighbors, friends, and family members. I realize this is a sickness of mine. I literally do shop in January and February for the next year and I usually have everything wrapped by Halloween, with the exception of a few last things. But in my mind, this is different. I want to be prepared, yes....but I don't want to see Christmas decorations in the stores until around October (at the earliest) and even a little later would be fine with me. I suppose that's a contradiction in terms, huh?

And just so you know.....this looks pretty unorganized and messy, but.....um....okay, it's more like "organized chaos....." I promise, I know right where everything is.....(AND my whole house doesn't look like this either, in case you're wondering and are a little frightened).

My Father-in-law always comments about my early Christmas shopping, and that we shouldn't even be thinking about Christmas until Thanksgiving, to which I always reply, "That's easy for you to say.....you only have to buy like one or two presents (if that)," which usually quiets him. :) But I must admit, I see the logic of enjoying each holiday separately and that we need to be careful about overlooking Halloween and Thanksgiving. But really, the other reason I try to get things done "early" is because then I really can enjoy the holiday season. There's less pressure and more time to concentrate on what's really important.

Okay, so you're probably asking yourself...."so, is she disgusted or not?" I know it sounds like I'm a little wishy-washy on the subject, but even though I like to be prepared for Christmas way earlier than its arrival, I really don't like to have it splattered all over the stores in August!

I don't know, for some reason, this is bothering me today. I don't want to be seeing Christmas items yet. Doesn't it somehow take away from the holiday all together if we are exposed to it for half the year? When the Christmas "season" finally approaches (which, really, when is that now?), aren't we going to be immune to its magic? Can there be an overload of Christmas? I believe there can be. And each year, it's starting earlier and earlier.

Anyone else out there have similar feelings on the subject? Or is it just me?