Saturday, November 17, 2012

Santa Claus is Coming to Town...

I have to admit that, as much as I love Christmas, I hate the fact that stores start advertising and putting out their holiday displays in July at this point.  Retailers are interrupting people's Thanksgiving dinners by enticing them into ever earlier Black Friday sales.  That name alone-- Black Friday-- should be enough to ward people off, but nooooo... the stores are packed with people sacrificing their Thanksgiving family time for a matched set of luggage at prices that can't be beat... until the next sale. 

I also have to admit that I'm a last minute holiday shopper.  Not because I don't care but because I always want to find the perfect gift for everyone on my list, but if I find it too soon, I can't resist giving it to the recipient long before Christmas... only to have to start over again so they will still have a surprise on Christmas day.

All this is to say... I'm really trying hard not to think too much about Christmas just yet.  It's sort of my own, unwritten rule not to do any shopping until after Thanksgiving weekend (that's right, you won't catch me out there on Black Friday... the whole weekend has to pass before I'll delve into the stores. 

And, perhaps it is awful for me to mention this but I am a hater.  A mall hater, that is.  I hate all those stores filled with the same old/same old junk.  In recent years, I've found most of my favorite gifts online or in tiny, unexpected, one-of-a-kind boutiques.  I try to find things that will have a special significance-- a leather bag reminiscent of a trip my sister and I took to Florence one year.  Beautiful art work from the galleries in one of the cities my sweetie and I love to travel to. 

Handmade books for my neices and nephews, personalized by the events and people in their lives. Of course, there are also Lego sets and plasma cars and animatronic dinosaurs that my sister stands there shaking her head about.  She's just jealous because I'm the cool aunt!

Anyway, sweet Jenn from Just Add Water Silly invited me to take part in her Artist's Playland linky and the theme is Christmas... so I am throwing away my rules and diving right in so that I might participate this week.  I thought I would be doing it with something of a grouchy spirit, but it turns out, I had some fun with it and I am getting closer and closer to being all over that Christmas spirit... so deck the freakin' halls, baby! 

Also linking to AEDM #17 and Show and Tell Saturday at Artists in Blogland!

15 comments:

  1. I believe!! I love your journal page. It really made me smile.

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  2. I love your journal page! So very cute. And I loved reading the reason you are a last minute shopper - I've never heard anyone say they do it because they would give the gifts away. I sense your generous spirit in that statement and your description of choosing gifts for people. They MEAN something, they aren't just a token exchange. How lucky the recipients of your gifts are! Happy PPF.

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  3. Deck the freakin' halls! That is priceless! Love your journal page and you witty narrative. I am with you on the mall thing...not a fan. Thanks for stopping by my blog earlier! Have a great week!

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  4. Thats funny! *Smiles*
    Thanks for your visit and lovely words :)

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  5. I love the journal page! I'm with you about the early advertisements, etc. I even heard some Black Friday sales are starting late Thursday. Seriously, there is nothing I want that bad!

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  6. LOL!!!!!!! I love your Christmas art journal page. Blessings!

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  7. Ah!! Lovely!!
    I ignore all things materialistic and love-love-love the holiday time of year. I'm a peace on earth, good will toward man, love is the season, joy is the reason type of girl. This has always been my favorite time of year. The world needs more love. I avoid Black Friday like the plague. ;)
    Thanks so much for stopping by my blog. :)

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  8. Oh I do so agree with you. I dont use the word hate except for exreme circumstances but I very very very much dislike the malls at holiday Season. I cant call it Christmas. There is no way that Christ is in it any more. I like hand made or significant gifts. So many just go out on black friday and grab deals that mean nothing except they got a deal. I believe in supporting local crafts and artists if possible. I love your post and thank you for visiting my blog from Just add water silly. Glad to get to know you
    Janice

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  9. well I'm all loving that santa hat and even more about your script. How do you DO that? My writing sucks and even if I treat script like a drawing it still sucks, lol. I'm a little envious of your talent in that area. almost all my journal pages don't have writing just because of this problem. sigh.

    Oh, and I thought the name black friday was ominous until I read this week it's called that because it's usually around the time when a business goes into the black, in other words they start to make a profit and start using black ink instead of red which connotes not profitable yet. SO when someone says they're in the red it's a dire thing!! :o)
    Have a great weekend.

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  10. Totally agree with your post. Although I have no idea what Black Friday is. We don't have that here. And happy too by the sound of it ☺ Love your journalpage and the saying ...

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  11. Wonderful post and art. I totally agree. Whenever I hear the words black Friday I thnik a plague is coming r something, hey maybe it is! xox

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  12. I was just questioning my belief in Santa glad you shored this up for me. Santa is the man.

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  13. What a great journal page. I try not to think about Christmas until after Thanksgiving but I did join APR. Thanks for visiting my blog.

    Darla

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  14. I love your Christmas art! I'm with you - I'm so not a mall shopper! I much prefer cute little boutiques and unusual stores. I'm your newest follower!
    Cindy

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  15. Christmas is a magic time for me, as it is when all the family gets together. However I don't like the advertising that precedes it but do love the decorations everywhere. For the first time we are having an event similar to Black Friday in Australia, it is called 'click frenzy' or something like that. It is an online shopping event with many retailers involved. Love your word art.

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