It's SEPTEMBER for cryin' out loud!

Ah, the holiday season - the lights, colors and smells of joy. Not something you would normally find me thinking about in...September. I can't help but feel a little stress and pressure from the world to start thinking about Christmas - and pressure from the family as well.

This afternoon, I ran to Target to pick up a few things for work when I noticed, just past the aisles of Halloween costumes and candy, white lights and the slightest glimpse of...you guessed it, evergreen. I felt the need to look a little closer, and I found two aisles and four endcaps dedicated to Christmas, while a measly 1/2 aisle in and amongst the Halloween decor was allocated for "fall" themed items. The last time I checked my calendar, it was September.

SEPT-EM-BER.

A week ago, it was still SUMMER here in this land we call Minnesota. Sure, we've heard of Christmas in July, and the fact that the retail world starts slipping Christmas in earlier and earlier each year, but I am not ready to start thinking about Christmas shopping when I don't even know what cute-overpriced costume my son will wear in 6 weeks for Halloween, (which, in my opinion is the earliest date that holiday crap should hit the shelves!).

After all this, I remembered the conversation I had earlier this week with my Mother-In-Law. It went something like this:

MIL: "With the way things are going...it's probably best to start shopping earlier then usual this year."
Me: "Shopping? Oh, you mean Christmas. Yeah, I suppose, more time will allow you to find better deals. I might have to think about that."
MIL: "Yes. I think that's my plan. I'm going to need your Christmas lists in the next couple of weeks alright?"
Me: "Sure." (You don't argue with MIL about Christmas lists, you just don't do it.)

So again, it's still basically summer (well, 2 days into fall) and I am being hounded for a list of items I might want in 3 months, a list of items my 3 year old might be interested in 3 months from now and a list of items my husband would like to add to his pile of stuff.

Did I mention it's September?

(Do you start getting into the holiday spirit earlier then most people? Do you get as annoyed by christmas ornaments in the costume aisle as I do? Got any good holiday shopping stories? Please share!)