Rant #3,831: All I Want For Christmas

Don'tcha think they started advertising for Christmas earlier than ever this year?

I don't know about you, but I saw holoday-related TV ads starting in mid-October--

Even before Halloween.

It is pretty obvious as to why the advertising is coming earlier than ever.

It is because the competition is greater than ever.

Brick-and-mortar stores have plenty to fear from online retailers, and the competition to get your money is incredible.

Holiday shopping is a multi-billion dollar industry, and everyone wants a piece of that pie.

Me, if I buy anything for the holiday, it is gift cards, and I only buy for a few people, so my holiday list is never very long.

This year, my son wants an electronics item that includes Bluetooth connectivity, so I have already looked around on the Internet to get a feel for what is out there and available.

Next month, I will probably go to a few stores and see what is available that would fit the bill and I could buy right then and there.

If I can't find the right thing, it is back to the Internet.

Otherwise, it is gift cards, and that is that.

And this year, Hanukkah begins at sundown, December 14, and ends on December 22, so there is absolutely no overlap of the holidays this year--

Which is great, because while most people will be scurrying around to get their gifts right before Christmas, Hanukkah will already be over, so there isn't any rush this year.

Last year, the two holidays were literally on top of each other, and since Hanukkah 2024 went into the early days of 2025, this year is one of the few years in my memory that had two Hanukkah celebrations.

Happily, that won't be happening this year as we go from 2025 into 2026.

But let's look further back in time ...

Two years ago, my life was in real turmoil, and what made it worse is that I didnt know if I would ever walk again.

But with a lot of hard work, I got through that.

In 2025, my holiday gifts to myself will be to get my eye in better working order, and to put my kidney stone and prostate problems in the rear-view mirror.

Thise are holiday gifts that you simply cannot put a price on.

Have a great weekend, and I will speak to you again on Monday.