If you are a resident of the U.S., do you remember your Labor Day celebration ? Seems like long ago that this traditional 'end of Summer' passage took place. Even though Autumn does not officially begin til later in September, things just are not quite the same after the first Monday of the month.
Fall has, well, fallen or is at least falling. (And, here I am not speaking of the piles of leaves.) Some even claim that Fall is in the Autumn of importance in our culture.
If that is correct, then that's too bad. Saw a 'cartoon' yesterday (November 1) saying now that November is here , we can now officially start talking about Christmas. Good grief, I saw my first Seasonal display of Christmas trees almost three weeks ago, well before Halloween. So the 'mad dash' towards Christmas, New Year's, etc. has begun. Even the classic Autumn Leaves laments that "the days grow short when you reach September". (I like that title better than the French, Les Feuilles Mortes translated The Dead Leaves.)
Well, there are still some leaves with their brilliant colors that transform even the drabbest of landscapes. I have been creating song titles that might help slow things down in order to celebrate the 'NOW': I'm Dreaming of a Red and Gold Autumn (think Bing Crosby could have made that work?); or, Dashing Through the Leaves; or Oak Leaves Roasting on an Open Fire.
Every Halloween Charles Schulz placed Linus in the pumpkin patch to await the Great Pumpkin who never arrived. The poor kid was the object of derision. What ! No gifts ! Judging by the "get up's" (colloquialism for costumes) seen last week, Halloween received at least a tip of the Seasonal hat. And, now that that is done, on to "T" Day. . . television, touchdowns, turkey, tummy aches, and the day after-biggest-sale-of-the-year. After what ? Thanksgiving. Come, Ye Thankful People, Come is not exactly at the top of many playlists. After originally posting this, just now, I checked email and . . . there it was from Amazon: "Countdown to Black Friday Deals, and More" !
So, now our society seems to say, 'we can get on to the MAIN EVENT --- Christmas.'(I have no need to enter the "Merry Christmas" - "Happy Holidays" matter.) Whatever you choose to call those December days, the effects are rather uniform . . . overspending, too much on the calendars, attempting to fulfill 'obligations' of travel, family, gifting, emotional fatigue, etc. "All is Calm" ? I observe otherwise.
Fall officially ends just a few days before Christmas . . . at least the calendar so indicates. By then, some locales have already had their first (or more) snowfalls and Labor Day, Halloween, beautiful leaves, and Thanksgiving likely have become memory blurs. At least one of the effects of largely overlooking Fall is captured in this hand towel:
Satchel
