Sleigh Bells Ring . . . Aren’t You Listening?

Well, dear friends, another summer is wrapping up. I confess that while others may cling to these fleeting August afternoons, holding onto sunshine with clenched fists, I cross each calendar day off with red ink, a wistful sigh and the anticipation of a five-year-old.

September means fall.

Fall signifies the latter half of the year.

The latter half of the year breeds winter.

Winter, in all its enchantment, is delivered with Christmas bells attached.

I believe that God considered heaven too far away, and that’s why He gave us Christmas. For as long as I can remember, Christmas has held with it magical connotations that, old as I get, have never lost their shine.

The following are my recent observations of the impending arrival of the holiday season:

Costco Costco seems to be the first to deck their halls. For that reason (along with countless others) this is a company that claims my unbridled devotion. It began two weeks ago, when I noticed snowflake and wreath-spangled spools of ribbon donning a less-popular corner of the store. This is just the beginning, my friends. By next month the decorations will be blatant, an entire aisle dedicated to Christmas cheer.

Web-Radio Feed Many of you are already accustomed to web-radio. The stations are ever-present, personalized and easily-accessible. What you may not know is the plethora of Christmas stations dotting the web, charming listeners with red-nosed reindeer and little drummer boys. These can be found year-round, however, the numbers are steadily growing as we march toward December, jingling all the way.

Movie Magic Remember the last blockbuster you saw in the theater? Remember the previews before hand? Oh yes, Fred Clause and are just a holly-trimmed cross-section of what the entertainment industry is giving us for Christmas.

Colors of Cheer Dart into any clothing store and look at their color scheme: deep reds and jade-greens find their niche in fall sweaters and festive dresses. Call me crazy, but am I detecting a little bit of retail cheer? It may begin with a tiny dose of ruby or a slight dabble in jade, but before you know it, holly-dotted ties and reindeer-printed sweaters will be finding their way home with merry shoppers.

So I say to August, you’re days are numbered (7, to be exact). You’ve served us well, but we have found another love – one who doesn’t require tanning lotion and string-bikinis, but merrily offers us a little joy in a cup of cheer.