Turning off the seasonal hype 

I absolutely love the holidays!  I love decorating. I love cooking. I love the parties and the excuse to get together and celebrate with family and friends. 

So, not the point of this, but I wonder why we need the excuse of the holidays to do any of those things. Are we seriously too busy at any  (every) other point in the year?  

Point taken and habit adjustment (hopefully) made. 

Anyway, the holiday hype began invading the stores in early September. The idea being that those who get their shopping done early are somewhat more virtuous than the rest of us, or at least more organized. The glitz and glitter filled the aisles and eeked out everything else in its path. Gone was fall; Halloween was hammered and Thanksgiving was the start of the main event weekend. 

Now, I love a good Black Friday sale with the next person. And I have to admit that I’ve been caught up in the fever and have once or twice set my alarm early with a well-strategized attack to hit ‘me hard and hit ’em early in order to return home within a few hours with my super sale gems. 

This year, I found it all too much. The amount of Black Friday and pre-Black Friday sales and it’s almost here sales were overwhelming. I could shop stores, or online. So if I can shop online anyway, what was the point of cyber Monday?  

The deals, weren’t really deals and there was nothing that screamed, “I am a bargain and you really would be happier owning me.” When I ventured out around midday, I saw one store “take away” their door busters to reveal an even better afternoon price. Too bad those who ran to get the early deal didn’t know!

But I have to also comment about cyber-Monday. It cyber-hammered my inbox. Now, not only were the brick and mortar stores pushing their sales through their online portals but all the virtual stores and service providers had some kind of must have deal as well. Not just tangible gifts, but workshops, videos, audios, ebooks. My inbox seemed too scream with requests to buy this, do this, I need this….and when I chose to ignore the continual requests, at least two asked if I hated them.  Really? Did I hate them?  Apparently this is a template out there or the 4th or 5th unanswered email, alternated with the assistant secretly letting me in on a special before their boss finds out. 

The result of all the hype and push? It pushed me right away. I’m sure not the desired result, but even things that I once considered were no longer special enough to entice me. So even though I did not physically unsubscribe, I shut it down and shut it all off. And seriously, do I need one more mid-season quick fix diet or another find myself support course right now?  Won’t those take away from what I love about the season?

I don’t hold it against anyone. That is wasted negative energy. But I choose to re-engage with the way I like my holidays…up close and personal. And I will certainly be better prepared for next year!  But hey, there is still a lot of time left in this year!