In August this year it was possible to walk into Selfridges or Harrods and brows their shelves for all your next Christmas purchases, yes, on the hottest day of the year you could buy a nice woolly sweater with a reindeer on it while Jonah Louie was, as every year, unable to stop the cavalry. Since the merchandising and commercialisation is unremitting it is unsurprising that some people are finally feeling spurred to action, demanding that shops curtail their avarice until September.
The Headingley branch of Mind, a mental health charity, had its locks damaged with superglue. Fixing the locks cost a hundred pounds while the store had only made fifty from the sale of this year's range of greetings cards. However, many people complain that summer's barely over before Christmas ranges begin appearing in the shops, that it spoils the festival and cheapens the whole event. It's difficult to feel 'Christmassy' on the day when you've had Slade and mince pies thrust down your throat for more than three months.
Charity shop workers in Leeds say they are feeling bullied, even 'terrorised' by the Movement for the Containment of Xmas, it's unknown whether the group is made up of Christians who want the festival observed for it's religious significance, atheists who resent having an imaginary superhero's birthday shoved at them for a quarter of every year or simply consumers who are sick of corporations trying without shame to constantly chisel every last penny out of their pockets.
Some commentators have pointed out that, for surface mail, the last posting date for some places is mid-September. That may be true but how many people, do you suppose, will be sending Season's Greetings overland to their best friend who happens to live at the source of the Congo? Surely it can't be economic to dedicate shelf space to a celebration that isn't going to happen for twelve weeks or more. It builds resentment in consumers who probably aren't buying the product, people moan but very rarely take direct action. While we shouldn't condone the actions of the M.C.X. after all, attacking charities consumes donations made for the vulnerable, we should sympathise with an organisation that wants to keep Christmas special.
