Respect the Turkey

It's that time of year -- The holiday season, and time for one of my biggest pet peeves.

I REALLY dislike how people rush past Halloween and Thanksgiving and concentrate on Christmas. I've seen several houses already decked out in their Christmas decorations with lights ablaze. I have my own personal Christmas light show with my neighbors across the street -- I'll post pictures soon, but Traci and I refer to this house as "Christmas Candy Lane I" -- Candy Lane II is another house in our neighborhood, but not on our street.

And now one of the local radio stations has started their 24 hours of Christmas music already. I haven't done the math myself, but a friend has posted his calculation on his blog. He estimates that 13% of the year he will be wished a Merry Christmas.

Where's the love for Halloween and Thanksgiving? I'm not suggesting I want 24 hours of Thanksgiving music for the month of November (I'm not even sure there is any Thanksgiving songs), but if as a society we are constantly complaining about how fast paced things are, and how rushed we feel, let's not add to that feeling by rushing past the other holidays...

Slow down, enjoy each holiday in turn. As a male, I only have on average 75 holiday seasons in my life. The first couple I can't remember, and I'm sure the same will probably happen with the last couple. I figure I've got 70 good holiday seasons to enjoy. I plan on enjoying each holiday in turn.

Don't get me wrong, I love Christmas and what it represents:

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.
And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
-Luke 2:8-14

But, Let's give some respect to the Turkey.