Jeesh!!! What do I do next????
Not real sure exactly what I will post here for the world to review but I
am almost sure that most of it will be controversial. Why? you ask. Why not? I reply.
Perhaps controversial might be too strong of word. I hope to make you think, wonder,
and look at things from a new perspective. What I don't want this to be some what
some refer to as a "blog" because so many of them are rants about how life sucks or
how they got cheated or some other mundane part of their life. This won't be a daily thing.
Also, I will make it easier for you to post your replies.
GIVE ME A BREAK!
Title: Happy Holidays 2007
Original Post Date: November 13, 2007.
Right. Note the post date. Am I the only person that thinks it is a wee bit too early for
screaming a 'Season's Greeting' already. In fact I noticed that there were Christmas decorations
at the local WallyWorld ( I will attempt NOT to use real names but you know which store I mean! )
out and available for purchase before Halloween.
Excuse me?!
BEFORE Halloween? At this speed, soon they will be decorating for Christmas right after
Labor Day. ( Note to self: some places may already be doing that! ) I remember that I didn't
start school until AFTER Labor Day which happen to be
a big whoop-de-doo to celebrate the end of summer. I'll save that for another rant.
Anyway, I just saw a commercial for Christmas shopping at a chain. Now don't get me wrong about
buying early, etc. I am all for it. In fact, my one son and his wife shop for the holiday all
year long so they get good buys. How they keep their daughter out of it I will never understand.
But I digress. I guess what I am all upset about is come about mid-December the figures will come
out with the calculations of how much the retailers are doing in sales. The last few years the
money just hasn't been there! Well DOH! Think about it, folks. If you start shopping in October,
don't expect your December sales to be up!
Halloween sales has been getting better each year. Hmm? Could it be due to the fact that I bought some
face paint, a fright wig, a cheap costume and oh yes, three strings of Christmas lights, two boxes of
ornaments and Uncle Bill's ugly tie at the same time! Of course Halloween sales is going to be up and
Christmas sales is going to be down.
Retailers having been shaking their heads the last few years bemoaning the fact that they haven't done well and the big
holiday rush just didn't get the sales they were hoping for. Another local chain I know that has been
struggling to stay alive and finally got bought out by another struggling chain, well they had this
huge-mongous sale on Thanksgiving Day AND the day after Thanksgiving. Everything was like at 90% off -- okay
I'm inflating it a bit -- some things were 60% off, many were 30-50% -- and it was an absolute nightmare in
the store. I won't be doing that again -- no matter if the grandkids want something or not. Just not worth it!
So, the November sales was up and nobody was shopping at the store during the month of December. Okay, I was
shopping there because it was empty. I wandered the aisles and made my purchases. I enjoyed my leisurely visit
to this chain and I believe the other nine people in there also enjoyed their visit. Oh, I think sales was probably
only about a grand for the two hours I was there. Was this typical? I checked out the store on another four nights
and found it to be pretty much desolate during the holiday week. Saturday and Sunday was a tad more hectic but
if I was the owner, I'd be worried about making ends meet. I guess that is why the chain was purchased.
Give it a chance, retailers. Take it easy. Don't decorate for Christmas until closer to the holiday -- like maybe the week or two before Thanksgiving rather than two months before that. I remember seeing the decorations going up on Friday AFTER Thanksgiving. Maybe I would be more into the holiday spirit if I haven't had it crammed down my throat for two months prior to December 25th.
I don't like shopping for Hallomas or Christween. Remember, Christopher Columbus was looking for a new route to the Orient -- not Christmas.
So the bottom line is, why are we rushing to get the next holiday here? You can bet that by December 20th the
stores will start putting out Valentine items and the bikinis will go on sale around March 1st. I and my wife
won't be going to Cancun for Easter break so we won't need that new bathing suit until around May... oh wait a
minute, by then the winter coats will be coming out for sales. If not then, at least the fall sweaters will be
out and on July 4th, the retailers will be pulling out the winter wear.
GIVE ME A BREAK!!!
Want to reply? Send me an email -- I will post them.
-BLZBob
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