And it keeps getting worse every year.  It being a religous holiday is of little importance to alot of people.

I don't like the over-commercialization of Christmas. We do have to remember though that we have become a consumer-driven society. That is a trend that increases more and more with the passage of each year.

Will it change this year? People aren't spending as much anymore, but retailers still have the same pressure to move their merchandise as they did during the good years. Even then, retailers would only break a profit after the initial burst of activity the day after Thanksgiving, hence the term "Black Friday". A bad Christmas this year and we might start seeing some major closings in the retail sector next year. Some are already on the brink.

CHRISTmas is not about the guy in the red suit and how much swag you can haul in or give out...

its all about spending money and the true meaning of the holidays is lost. when i was younger it meant the whole family getting together, good food and grandpa and me argueing whether he got to watch sports or i got to watch whatever kids holiday special was on. i usually won. i sure miss those days.

Life in Northern Tundra, I mean, Canada, can be really boring, especially during the long winter nights. The stores put out new holiday merchandise as soon as the last holiday is over. Anyone who looks out the windows and sees snows, and then looks inside the mall and see Christmas decorations seem to immediately agree there's at least something good to look forward to, so comes the frenzy Christams shopping in October. See, it actually works.

For many of us, holidays are a time to guzzle, gorge and consume, so lets not get all fuzzy about the traditional holiday, which most of us only experienced by watching on TV

you mean you don't like seeing Christmas stuff in October?!?!? I think the worst thing for me are those radio stations that play Christmas music 24/7

Stores already had their Christmas decorations out by the middle of October this year. But even though the Christmas season begins on Christmas and lasts into January, you'd never know it because everything Christmas is gone by Dec. 26.

Did you know that you can buy Halloween cards now?

Also, what exactly does an angel wearing a diaper wielding a bow and arrow have to do with St. Valentine's Day (yeah, St. Valentine's Day, any remnants of religion have to be removed to successfully commercialize a holiday).

Does anybody really understand the concept of what a giant rabbit who delivers eggs has to do with the celebration of the Resurrection yet? I've been waiting for an explanation of that one since I was two.

one of the worst. when you already see holiday commercials before Halloween. buy here buy there. commercialization can really take the pleasure out of holidays.

I'd cut and paste my other post re buying at Easter... but I'm too cranky thinking about it.

Agreed.  I dread the day when Thanksgiving becomes over-commercialized . . . they've taken over pretty much everything else!

Unanimity of opinion here would ban Valentine's Day forever!

Regardless if it is christmas, hannukah or kwanzaa the messege is lost in a blizzard of commercialization