Was out shopping at a “local” box store when I heard a young voice excitedly yelling “That’s what I want to be mommy”. Knowing we are nearing Halloween I ventured over, out of curiosity, to see what the young lad was so adamant about, was it a goblin, a ghost, some super hero, no, to my chagrin it was an elve’s outfit in the way to early Christmas aisle. That’s right I said CHRISTMAS! I do not ask much in life but can’t we at least hold off until the middle of November instead of the 1st week of October. Maybe because of all the traumatic happenings lately the merchant’s are trying to give a little holiday cheer early but I think it may be more aligned with marketing. Christmas when I was young was much more exciting too look forward to rather than now where it’s pushed down our throat 6 months ahead. This year we need to keep the religious aspect to the Holiday up front more than ever as merchandising needs to take a back seat.