I enjoy the anticipation of seasonal events: the start of the school year in September, Halloween in October, Thanksgiving in November, and finally, a month of Christmas season celebrations in December. But that’s not how it works anymore in the USA.
School starts in August while the sun is still hot and the pool is cool. Spooky/sexy costumes are displayed in Halloween stores in September.
Yesterday, a baseball acquaintance said her family was going “to do” Thanksgiving today. I am sorry, if you miss Halloween or Thanksgiving, you’ve missed it. There is no do-over. The point of a designated holiday is everyone celebrates at the same time, giving the day a special energy.
The only “holiday” Americans seem to agree upon, and that grows in importance every year, is Black Friday, the big shopping day after Thanksgiving. However even Black Friday’s mayhem has been diluted by Christmas carols echoing through the malls in November. The early Christmas, shopping virus is spreading faster than H1N1. Christmas trees and elves have been setting up shop in Bahrain since early November. It is not right.
I think the stores should close on Wednesday, put out their Christmas merchandise, then re-open on Friday, blaring their Christmas music, hopefully surprising and delighting their customers with their displays.
Wednesday November 28th is the Winter’s Tale Bazaar. Although winter here means the temperature has dropped to the mid-80s and the bazaar will be held on the floating islands, at least we have put away our kitschy, Thanksgiving decorations.
Tales of Dragons, Rabbits and Roosters 
Nov 25, 2012 @ 11:59:02
Agree with you about it being inappropriate the thoughtless way in which they bring in the Christmas cheer 😦 As far as Arab countries go, Bahrain’s amazing…A Catholic church too!!! Blew me away!!! I remember once having gone for midnight mass over there, on Christmas eve. And it was packed and they were singing hymns and the whole nine yards 🙂 Was quite an experience. hope things haven’t changed.
Nov 26, 2012 @ 18:53:22
Christmas decorations are out. Snow is being brought in. Vivaldi concert soon, etc. etc. Bahrain knows where their dollars come from and it’s not by adhering to conservative social laws.
Nov 26, 2012 @ 18:55:03
True.
Nov 25, 2012 @ 17:58:36
Indeed, it is difficult to separate holidays here in the USA. And mix in the birthdays as well…it’s tricky. We still are thankful to have the opportunities available to us, the choices we have in LIFE, food and shelter and freedom
.
Nov 26, 2012 @ 18:53:51
It is a very full schedule.
Nov 26, 2012 @ 02:46:39
Sorry that we apparently “missed” Thanksgiving – although I spent 4 hours shopping for food stuffs I don’t usually buy and 8 hours cooking a colorful feast and 2 more hours cleaning up, it was on SATURDAY!!!
To be honest, there was no celebratory vibe in the air – only in my head – as no one else was celebrating, but I still had to do it. Thursday was a work day and particularly busy for me, Friday was by chance a holiday but M wasn’t home for dinner so, Saturday – and even then N went to ballet and the car went to have its tires changed. Thanksgiving Day football didn’t even show til Sunday evening.
But we enjoyed the meal and the pear tart a la mode (R only eats the vanilla of course) and I’m still enjoying the left-overs, which is what really counts anyway.
We’ve been “enjoying” Christmas decorations and xmas muzak in some stores since a couple of days before Halloween! I had to try quite hard not to think about Christmas but I think I managed it. Still have to do R’s birthday first – then HOHOHO! Happy Holidays to All!
Nov 26, 2012 @ 18:49:52
Oh yes you missed it. I’ll bet the cranberry sauce tasted different. Next time you’ll just have to visit us on Thanksgiving to experience the day as it should be experienced – as much as we can in the desert.
Next year I am going to take a tomato, stuff it into a chicken, then stuff that into a goat, then load up the whole shish kabab into a camel and slow roast it in a sand pit for about three days. Then serve it with cranberry sauce.
Nov 26, 2012 @ 18:52:08
good one, Eva!!! 🙂
Nov 29, 2012 @ 03:54:46
THAT cranberry sauce will be SOOOOO good! And the tomato too I’ll bet. You’ll have to start thawing out the camel right after Halloween! You guys are such great hosts planning ahead like that – look forward to it!