September 20th, we strolled after breakfast at our favorite cafe. I was astounded to see this enormous decoration 41 full days before the event. Is it my imagination, or are holidays arriving earlier each year?
Like many people in the US, I like Halloween and Día de los Muertos. However, when the local thrift shop opened its costume section in August for the orange and black holiday, it seemed a wee tad early. Monday 9/27, I saw enormous boxes of pumpkins, one meter to a side, at the grocery store. Maybe the plan is I’ll have to buy two? We’ll carve one now, set it out, mold will overcome it and a squirrel will eat it for breakfast. Back to the store for another.
I enjoy seeing hand crafted seasonal yard decorations the most. Here are two favorite examples from last year; pumpkins by Mother Nature and clever carvers.
Dear readers, how early is too early? Or are holidays welcome whenever they arrive?
¡olé! –Rebecca
Fake Flamenco 
Nooo. I hate festivals arriving too early. Christmas for instance. Already shops have mince pies. I enjoy the whole thing so much more when I haven’t been drip-fed for weeks already. Hallowe’en isn’t so much of a thing here, though it’s growing year by year.
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Here, Halloween is a secular holiday most people can agree on. I think it’s a large money maker for businesses selling costumes, candy, decorations and pumpkins. The common phrasing shop at (our store) for all your Halloween “needs” is a bit much though, especially in September! However, it does prevent Christmas in July.
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There is that. As Thanksgiving does too, I think.
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When I was growing up, Thanksgiving held the tides of Christmas at bay. Now it arrives with fanfare the day after Halloween!
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!!! Marketing eh?
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Yes, pure capitalism. Halloween makes 8.8 billion dollars for US retailers. Christmas generates $600 billion!
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I agree the holidays keep arriving earlier and i don’t love it. I share the same love for homemade and traditional decorations!
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Hard to separate marketing from the holidays! What kind of holiday crafts do you like to do? We carve pumpkins and make our own costumes. 🙂
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Well growing up my mom and i always made our own costumes and i loved it. Recently i just made some cute vase and flower displays for around the house in fall colors. I do not love carving pumpkins but i love painting them!
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Fall flowers around the house sound pretty. Painting pumpkins is fun and it makes them last much longer than carving them!
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I guess the family with their decorations out needed some cheering up 🙂 Love the masked pumpkin.
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Thanks, Rosaliene. Yes, I can’t criticize too much on that account when we have an outdoor string of lights up all year!
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With Covid winter approaching us, I up for celebrating ANYTHING before bitter cold hits …
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Thanks, Carolyn. I understand the felling!
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Feeling!
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TOO EARLY! I’d ban all holidays until just a week before the date, so no Hallowe’en until near the end of October and Christmas just one week before December 25th. Think how less stressed we’d all be if this were to happen and the clamour for more and more toys, costumes, trinkets etc. were silenced.
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Thanks for your POV, Mari. Holidays are fun, but the commercial aspects do augment the stress. I’m all for the joy of celebration, with the focus on people and food rather than the things.
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I never understood anyone who didn’t love Halloween. It is all about having fun.
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Thanks for your comments. We love it. Went to the fabric store to get material for a costume.
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The other day, my mom brought gingerbread home from the store. In mid-September! And there I was not so long ago, complaining about rabid commercialization when they were starting to sell Christmas stuff in October …
It really *will* start in the middle of summer soon if things continue in this vein.
Halloween is a relatively recently-imported thing here, too; the associated merchandise has a brief sales span in October and is usually to be found right next to the Christmas stuff. I loved it when I was living in the U.S., though — and I love your photos!
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Thanks for your comments! Gingerbread in September. Wow. Pleased to hear the October holiday hasn’t completely taken over there commercially. Glad you enjoyed Halloween when you lived in the states. I appreciate your kind words!
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You‘re very welcome!
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August is way to early! September is early too! Holidays are just getting earlier and earlier every year! Xx
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With Covid about, I think everyone is looking to celebrate. However, it makes me sad to see commerce prey upon that feeling.
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Couldn’t agree more Rebecca it’s awful to see isn’t it?
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Tis. (love that word)
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Everyday is a holiday a reasosn to celebrate. How you celebrate is up to you.
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Thanks for your comment, Mireya. So true!
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I LOVE the holidays – but I agree August is a bit early. And I do love that masked pumpkin 🙂
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Thanks for commenting! Yes, celebrating is great, but I like to pace myself. Our outdoor Halloween decorations are up! Yes, the masked one was a clever idea.
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I don’t mind celebration days coming early if there isn’t another one on the horizon. I could cope with seeing Hallowe’en stuff in the shops in August, but I struggle with Christmas stuff in early October before Hallowe’en has been and gone! After 1st November, fine. 🤣
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So true, Christmas before Halloween is a bit too early!
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