'tis the season?!?!

Holiday store displays are clearly messing with my mind...

For months now -- yes, months -- I've been bombarded by Christmas trees on display in every store and shopping center I've visited. It was maddening to have to dig my way through aisles of Santas and elves and collectible Dickensian villages to find Halloween candy. It's too soon! I've been grumbling to myself since mid-September.

And the grumbling continued today as I watched my coworkers set up an artificial Christmas tree right in front of my desk... until I realized... wait a minute... Halloween is long gone... Thanksgiving is now behind us... it actually IS the right time now!

Christmas is my favorite time of year... how could it possibly sneak up on me like this?