Christmas comes early in South Florida

As usual, Christmas comes early in South Florida as I am sure it came just as early for you in your neck of the woods. Home Depot and Lowes started selling Christmas trees and decorations in late August. They pushed out all the garden things to make room for artificial trees and plastic decorations depicting the season to be all about pine trees and a fat guy in a red suit.

Putting the birth of Christ aside, which for some that may not being easy, as Charles Dickens would note in A Christmas Carol, Christmas is about the spirit of giving not buying. Some would think you have to buy in order to give but at least not in the over indulgent way the corporations push on us. It seems the whole foundation of our country has become based on stuff and not what’s really important.

What’s really important is not the same for everyone, for some it may be love of family, for ours it may be helping others, the list can be a long one but is what’s really important acquiring stuff or buying stuff to give away just to feel good about one’s self?

On a lighter note, last September I went to Home Depot to buy some seeds for our garden and when I got there the display was gone. As I stood in a sea of Christmas stuff I asked one of the associates, what happened to the seed display that was here a week before and he told me, with a straight face I might add, "Oh, those items are seasonal."

As long as we are pushing holidays, Happy Valentine’s Day to all and a good night.