Christmas in November
Every year, Christmas seems to come earlier.
Yesterday evening - November 24th - I spied a Christmas tree in the lobby of one of the businesses along Par-La-Ville Road. This evening, the lights on the Corporation of Hamilton's Christmas tree will be turned on. On Sunday - still only the 27th of November - the Christmas Parade will make its way through the streets of Hamilton. Santa will be on hand at the latter two events, presumably extremely annoyed at being kept away from the North Pole when it's still not even December. Mrs. Claus can't be happy either.
At least some organisations wait until December to hold their Christmas events. But only just. Masterworks hurry to dispense with their evening of carolling at Camden by December 1st. The National Trust get their annual St. George's Christmas Walkabout out of the way by the 2nd. Barring bad weather, the Christmas Boat Parade is over by December 10th.
With the main Christmas events being crammed in so early, the fortnight immediately before Christmas Day itself threatens to become a festive wasteland. My parents are coming to Bermuda for Christmas this year, yet even though they're arriving 12 days before the 25th, they're going to miss all the events mentioned above.
Do we really need to start our Christmas celebrations quite so early? Can we not at least wait until December?
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My family comes in on the 22nd of December... I am searching for events to celebrate Christmas while allowing them to "experience Bermuda"... I love them all very much, but I don't nor do they I am sure care to sit and stare at each other for 12 days...
although my anxious for Christmas husband did put the exterior lights up on Thanksgiving... he continues his Christmas celebrations through the New Year...
Posted by Paradise NOT on 25.11.05 at 14:14
Even the Panto is over by the 18th...oh no it isn't...
Posted by sandgrownan on 25.11.05 at 14:53
Heah I saw Santa and his deers down at Elbow Beach laying out soaking up the rays...Whats up with that?....is Fed X delivering all the North pole presents this year? This online shopping thing is almost as bad as Global Warming ....can you believe Today...Man were all in for Springtime for Xmas.
Posted by Big Bad Wolf ^..^ on 25.11.05 at 14:59
Limey,
Yes we must start our Christmas festivities early. We have to prepare to travel. It does take time to wrap up work for the year and pack our bags.
Remember, we have lots of shopping to do (overseas), so preparation is needed.
Thanks for asking.
Posted by island dweller on 25.11.05 at 16:46
We could arrange a Xmas rave>>>>must wear red and green....drink of the night eggnog!!!
Posted by Big Bad Wolf ^..^ on 25.11.05 at 17:11
Am in the same boat will the rellies arriving on 22nd - had no idea everything would be over by then and now feel incredibly miffed! :-(
Is there going to be fireworks for New Years?
Posted by Lisa on 26.11.05 at 09:42
Yeah I'm going to start running my mouth off again in the public domain!
Posted by Big Bad Wolf ^..^ on 26.11.05 at 10:23
Give a thought to the people who make the events we all enjoy. Perhaps they could have a bit of Christmas with family as well.
Best Regards, Bill
Posted by Bill on 26.11.05 at 11:02
As far as publicly sponsored events it does make sense to make sure there are enough significant events happening within the two weeks just prior to christmas. Getting back to Bill Cook's suggestion of having kids help with the music at the airport I think festive caroling with kids on school break would be quite fun too.
Posted by SmokingGun on 26.11.05 at 11:18
I notice that Christmas festivities are coming earlier each year not only here in Bermuda but also in Canada and the US. In the past when my family came down for the holidays I ended up taking them around to see the lights and Christmas decorations since there wasn't anything else to do. I also see the pressure about making the events earlier, since companies plan their Christmas parties closer to Christmas and the planners want to ensure a great turnout, so the further away from Christmas the better in their eyes.
I always started Christmas planning right after Thanksgiving which seemed to be the norm for me, but when you walk into stores and see Christmas items before Halloween, that is just wrong!
Posted by AAW on 26.11.05 at 12:37
Wolf - I thought we were friends :-(
Posted by Lisa on 26.11.05 at 13:06
Lisa You know the Wolf LOVES YOU....Merry Xmas!!!
Posted by Big Bad Wolf ^..^ on 26.11.05 at 19:51
The problem seems to be that many are so socially busy that there is not enough time to do everything in this place where 'nothing' happens.
The Boat Parade was changed to a week earlier for weather reasons & also because so many companies have parties, at harbourside venues on the same night, to capitalise on the Parade. Trouble is, some of the same people who might enter a boat in the parade have an obligation to be at these parties. Putting together something, which from land looks, very simple can take days to build. This work is not done on company time.
Weather has also caused problems. For some reason in most years winter seems to decend on Bermuda in the second week of December. Operating a boat at night in a crowded windy harbour is stressful for skipper who unfamiliar with being in such situations.
Many travel over Christmas. If you hold events such as the Boat Parade real close to Christmas again the entrant numbers will be down.
Many towns hold their boat parades on the first or second week of Dec. A quick search will find at least 2 dozen across the US on the same night as ours. We are not early.
Posted by VB on 27.11.05 at 10:43
Spare a thought for those of us still in Limeyland - we don't have Thanksgiving and Halloween is basically a non-event. Thus, we are subjected to Christmas advertising, Christmas trees and decorations and Christmas Carols played non-stop over every store PA from (I'm not joking) the beginning of October.
I love Christmas as much as the next person, but a 3 month run up brings me out in a case of the Humbugs.
Posted by Stevie C on 28.11.05 at 05:13
I go to this site because it talked about important issues concerning Bermuda. Now it seems you're whining about every little trival thing. Go on whining about things like when the holiday season starts and be prepared to hear commets like, "well if you don't like it go the hell back to England".
Posted by wild bill on 28.11.05 at 13:26
Wild Bill
As Stevie C pointed out, it's even worse over there!
Posted by The Limey on 28.11.05 at 13:32