Now it seems like labor day passes and we are getting a whiff of the festive season. At the end of October it is in building up steam. By Thanksgiving it is full steam ahead. There are more important things than thinking about Christmas shopping 3 months before a month filled with half drunken office parties and family holiday feuds. Heck instead of "Happy Halloween," they should just start saying "Happy Holidays!"

Why might this be? Probably because stores can see that they can gouge the Christmas season even more by stretching it out for a month or two more. Because we really need to make Christmas that much more commercialized. Because it is quantity not quality that makes this holiday so special.

Sure I fall into the trap of buying nice gifts for the people I care about. But it is for the reasons that I think extend outside the grand commercial scheme though up by Wall Street. I enjoy giving nice gifts because I view it as a sign of respect, love and gratitude to the people who have been very significant and continue to be in my life. Are my gifts reflective of how much I make and can spend? Sure, but it only magnifies that which I believe.

Being an atheist the religious meanings of Christmas are lost on me. But on a personal level it is a special time for me. A time to spend with family and friends. This is more special because it is one of the rare times I get a chance to spend with members of my family or some long lost friends. It seems like even the religious over-tones of the holiday are lost in this three month long orgy of commercialism. Like I said I am not religious, but I can appreciate the significance of this holiday for those who are. I guess religion is less grating than crass commercialism when you get down to it.

Why not just make it Christmas year around? I am sure malls and companies would be keen on that. Though I suppose "Christmas In July" sales would be a little cliched. Well more cliched at any rate. Of course those stupid Santa hats that people insist on wearing would be torturous during a July heat wave. Of course it would evaporate away those poor fool's half brains and be a shining example of Darwinism and irony (because of Christian views towards evolution…but that is a wholly different story).

So do we need 3 months of the Christmas season? No. Should we maybe concentrate on being with and showing love for our family and friends? Yes. Heck maybe use it as an example that we should treat people a little bit better the whole year round. But it probably means more than finding the special Diana Beeny Baby memorial stuffed toy.

On an ending note here is a touching rendition of the 100 days of Christmas (insert on the X day of Christmas my true love gave to me…it should take 8 hours to sing this ditty).