I've noticed some beginnings of grottos in shops. Ally Pally garden centre had all their christmas stuff out, ready to go on display last week. Liberty opened their Christmas shop at the weekend and had christmas tunes playing. Someone went to the desk to complain about it really loudly.
It's too early, Christmas shop in Liberty was lovely though.
Probably they want to make space well in advance to the Olympic 2012 wave that will flood the city before end of the year :-)
London loves to anticipate trends, doesn't it?
Shops like Liberty, Harrods etc deliberately do their Christmas shops early to catch the tourists who are here over the summer. This makes sense. But the White Lion having a Christmas tree is just ridiculous.
Harrods and Selfridges do it to catch the Arab customers before they go home for Ramadan. They don't celebrate Christmas but they buy shedloads of glittery, spangly stuff to take home.
Yesterday, I got an e-mail from Ocado suggesting that now is a good time to book the Christmas delivery slot.
Do people seriously do this? I don't know which country I'm going to be at Christmas time, much less what I want to eat for dinner.
The said Christmas Tree in WLM is it the little one near to the front your talking about , it looked about 10 inches high ! I was expecting something a bit grander after the sense of out rage !
There is a quarter of an aisxle of christmas stuff in Tesco STR .. All the chocolate bits.. And they wonder why the year goes fast.. easter eggs was on display there on NYE this year..
I remember walking through Stratford shopping centre in the 90s in a t shirt and shorts in September and seeing a Christmas shop open.
How many of us like Christmas. A pagan feast of plenty (stolen by Christians). In todays hyper consumerist times it's no wonder that stores like Tesco are cashing in on it. After all SGR has become a street about consumerism. What's the latest bar, shop, restaurant to open? Sad, but true!
I don't want anything instead. I'm happy with what we have. When I first started living round here in the mid 90s there was a supermarket, a Greek convenience store (near where the convenience store is now), a few pubs, a few places to eat out (I don't eat out much so it's not a big need). That suited me fine.
I just think people have turned from consumers (which is fairly healthy) to hyper-consumers (obsessive and unhealthy). The Christmas early marketing thing isn't that new but has gone into hyper-drive due to the increased decay of our society into crazy hyper consumerism. Most of the looting around the riots was due to consumer envy. Friendship. real love and good health is what matters! We need other things like food too....but maybe you get my drift.
"how many of us like Christmas"
Me! I do!
I like baubles and tinsel and fairies on the tree. I like presents and Christmas songs and mulled wine and mince pies and pudding. I like mistletoe and the Wizard of Oz and It's a Wonderful Life on the telly. And most especially I like those little sausage rolls that you cook from frozen.
'How many of us like christmas' was meant in a positive way. Most people do!
I like Christmas too, a time to treat yourself and be with loved ones. I look forward to cooking dinner, having a glass or so of red. Hanging out with friends or family. It is a special time of the year for those reasons.
Comments
It's too early, Christmas shop in Liberty was lovely though.
London loves to anticipate trends, doesn't it?
How many of us like Christmas. A pagan feast of plenty (stolen by Christians). In todays hyper consumerist times it's no wonder that stores like Tesco are cashing in on it. After all SGR has become a street about consumerism. What's the latest bar, shop, restaurant to open? Sad, but true!
I just think people have turned from consumers (which is fairly healthy) to hyper-consumers (obsessive and unhealthy). The Christmas early marketing thing isn't that new but has gone into hyper-drive due to the increased decay of our society into crazy hyper consumerism. Most of the looting around the riots was due to consumer envy. Friendship. real love and good health is what matters! We need other things like food too....but maybe you get my drift.
I like Christmas too, a time to treat yourself and be with loved ones. I look forward to cooking dinner, having a glass or so of red. Hanging out with friends or family. It is a special time of the year for those reasons.