I may be mistaken, but did I actually see Christmas lights going up before Halloween this year? And am I dreaming or did my neighbors already deck their halls with tinsel and candy canes? It isn’t even Thanksgiving yet and the stores are full of Christmas gifts and a vast assortment of holiday items. I love Christmas, but please, Mr. Marketing Manager—one holiday at a time. I recognize that in light of the struggling economy stores are trying to capitalize on the commercialization of Christmas by getting a head start on the season. Yet, I remain skeptical that this strategy is going to be enough to get them from being in the red to being situated comfortably in the black.

If we keep going at this rate, by the time Christmas comes along, I am thinking that people will be returning gifts in exchange for gym memberships as they take on their New Year’s Resolutions early.

My angst toward these premature sales is quite profound, but it hasn’t thwarted my excitement and anticipation of Kody’s first Christmas. So, while I refuse to buy any “Christmas” item until after I have partaken in a traditional, but oh, so delicious Thanksgiving feast, this rule does not apply to purchasing things for Kody. It’s fun to buy gifts that are not only inexpensive, but you know that they will be enjoyed. Wouldn’t it be great if you could buy your best friend a $2 squeak toy and know that they would be filled with exuberance on Christmas morning?

Consequently, I am guilty of giving in to the pre-Christmas sale temptation when it comes to Kody. He already has two new toys, a giant stuffed doughnut-shaped pillow, and we recently selected a personalized stocking for him. I cannot wait to share in the joy of the season with Captain Kody. He is already enamored with the cooler weather, though I don’t think he will be quite as enthused when a gigantic living tree overtakes our living room and decorations cover every inch of the house.

Nevertheless, I look forward to this Christmas season and the blessing of the birth of Christ Jesus. But the only early shopping I will allow those crafty marketers to con me into will be for one very special, fluffy, tail-wagging mutt!