Wednesday 3 October 2012

It's autumn, not Christmas

It's October. Mellow fruitfulness and all that. Harvest festivals. Harvest suppers. Time to see if the central heating still works, in the mice have eaten winter woollies stored in the attic, to decide if you can live with the invasion of spiders coming in from the cold or if they should all end up in the hoover. Time to remember to allow that bit longer for getting out of the house - to pull on boots, find gloves, excavate the pockets of your coat to get rid of yesterday's tissues. To notice that it's icy and the car windscreen needs a scrape. (I don't have a car - one less thing to worry about. Though I do need to allow time for thermal layers to make sure I don't freeze at the bus stop.)

We can wrap up and go to the forest, kick through leaves, throw them in the air like rain and brush them out of each others' hair. We can find conkers and have discussions on the ethics of vinegar and slow cooking to make them even harder. We can stop to smell that glorious, dank, misty smell of autumn. Bring leaves home to make pictures to stick on the fridge, knowing that they will crinkle and fall and end a dusty mess on the kitchen floor.

When the rain comes, driving against the windows, we can light the fire, toast crumpets, remind ourselves how wonderful they taste dripping with butter. We unearth games not played since April, argue over the rules to Cluedo.

Soon the children will talk of halloween, of fireworks. We can cook baked potatoes, heap them with cheese or beans, and eat with our muddy fingers.

So - it's not Christmas. Not even nearly Christmas. So, shops, that means no crackers, no mince pies, no wrapping paper, no tinsel and not even a cardboard reindeer that sings 'Do you know it's Christmas?' as I pass. I mean, internet marketing people, that I do not need Father Christmases popping up in the corner of sites I am actually enjoying.

So BOGOFF Christmas! (And I don't mean buy one, get one free!)

13 comments:

  1. Ha ha! My sentiments exactly. If I see one more supermarket display of mince pies, I may not be responsible for what happens next… :/

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  2. Oh, I agree!September/October wakes me up after the heat of Summer (which I don't enjoy) I love the crispness and freshness of everything, especially leaves, conkers, frost etc...
    October to me means much the same as you, then November means the build up to Christmas and even more excitement! But I don't want all the excesses in the shops now, too early! I might be preparing Christmas lists at home, but I'm not ready to be assaulted with it outside yet!

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  3. http://authorselectric.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/we-can-be-heroes-by-cally-phillips.html
    For my thoughts on October and Xmas!

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  4. You make it all sound so lovely Jo,I'm afraid I'm still missing the sun. In my part of Scotland lovely Autum days are few and it's mostly raining and dull. I like getting wrapped up with boots and scarfs to get the bus to the shopping centre but then inside I'm boiling and need an extra bag for scarf,gloves and jacket. It is a bit silly that we have Christmas alongside Halloween in the shops,no wonder that by the time the day actually arrives we're all so fed up with it.

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  5. Not sure what you are going to make of my comment. But I have succumbed to Christmas and bought an advent calendar. I have to say it is beautiful- the Christmas Bookshelf from the Bodleian Library.If I can bring myself to open it, then by the time the last window reveals itself my children will all be home for Christmas from University.Looking at the books also reminds me that I have my own writing to get on with and my reading.No time to sit about moping, I have my own new baby- my storytelling. I hope this is a justifiable Christmas embracement.

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  6. Thank you all - good to know I'm not the only one to cringe at the sight of mince pies in October.

    I think we can forgive newtonhouseltd her Advent Calendar if it's particularly beautiful. (And I might even forgive someone wanting to buy one of my books as a present.)

    But for the rest of it - the tinsel and tinkly music, GRRRR!

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  7. Just as you were making me get all nostalgic about having a real autumn, you mentioned something I don't miss - not just because it didn't happen when I lived there, but because I agree with your sentiments. You know where to come if you've had enough of it....

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  8. Well said, Jo!
    We expect to see the UK shops full of Christmas stuff by late November when we come over and I can (sort of) accept it, but any earlier? No thanks.

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  9. I couldn't agree with you more although I can never turn down a mince pie, nicely warmed with a mug of piping hot tea. Thought I was the only one who ended up with pockets of half used paper hankies in the winter time!

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  10. Abso-bloody-lutely! I really, really, really don't want to see Christmas displays when I'm enjoying a little early autumn sunshine - I still like to think it's 'late summer'.

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  11. You are sooooo right Jo! It is driving me nuts already. Halloween witches and plastic pumpkins nestled next to ghastly glittery Christmas gifts. Aghhh :((((

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  12. Goodness, my little rant has set everyone going! What fun! Thank you all.

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  13. Totally agree with your rant! It annoys me no end how retailers in the US are trying to completely stomp out our wonderful national holiday in November, Thanksgiving. Grrrr! Christmas is a lovely time but meant for December not October!

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