Hopefully, we can discuss all the holidays that show up in the last quarter of the year here: problems, issues, questions, amusing and frustrating incidents, gift lists and conundrums, ideas.
Yesterday, October 12, I went out to Pier One. I had ordered some pretty dinnerware and a couple of other items online for store pick-up. When I walked it I felt as if I had entered a kind of weird smooshed-up time tunnel where Halloween, Thanksgiving, Hannukah and Christmas were all one. (Which I guess they would be if stores had their way with the world.) You could buy stuff for any of those and in some cases they had more than one holiday on the same table display. Even two Christmas trees were up and decorated; thankfully, the music was not holiday-oriented.
Now I love--I mean L O V E--this time of the year. Yes, I listen to Christmas music but not until December 1. I decorate for fall, add a bit more for Thanksgiving, and then do Christmas. But because I love each holiday on its own and celebrate each one on its own, with no interference from any other, I found myself feeling annoyed. Of course I didn't say anything; it was only irk the sales staff and they can do nothing anyway.
I did buy one holiday item but one appropriate for October: Miniature pumpkin string lights:
https://www.pier1.com/halloween-pumpkin-5-led-glimmer-strings/4120076.html?from=search#q=pumpkin%2520string%2520lights&origin=gridswatchI have also been buying pumpkins, mostly faux ones. I don't know why but I seem to have developed a passion for them over the last few years. I like different colors and textures: glass, hammered copper, twig, grapevine, burlap, resin. I also have purchased some wheat bundles, those tiny pumpkins on stems from TJs (they are actually decorative eggplants) and other items. I did find at the thrift store three birch candles, the ones that have tiny candles in the middle so that will get added. I might look at tiny turkeys (maybe a salt and pepper set?) but I wanted to yell
NO CHRISTMAS ITEMS" at the store. I didn't though cause I'm not crazy.