It has become a trifecta of shopping holidays: Black Friday has passed, and so has Small Business Saturday. Hopefully you took Sunday to rest up, because as you may know, today is one of the biggest shopping days of the year! It’s Cyber Monday, the internet’s version of Black Friday.
Not that I’ll be spending my day purchasing holiday gifts – I’ve got plenty of work to do since I’m just getting back from vacation! You may have been hunting for deals this weekend, but I was far away in the woods, hunting for more literal game.
As a lifelong, dyed-in-the-wool bargain hunter, I’m obviously all for nabbing more deals, but I am concerned that our traditional holiday calendar is becoming too cluttered with made-up holidays telling us how to spend our time and money.
After a long weekend of spending, Cyber Monday is followed by Giving Tuesday. Yes, really, it’s an official thing. Giving Tuesday kicks off the charitable season, focusing on holiday and end-of-year giving. It’s a very nice thing, but then what?
On Thursday, December 1st, it’s Eat a Red Apple Day, followed by National Fritters Day on Friday, and National Cookie Day on Sunday. We’re also supposed to eat cotton candy on December 7th, brownies on the 8th, pastry on December 9th, and anything covered in chocolate on December 16th. Top that off with some maple syrup – just like Buddy the Elf – on December 17th. No wonder people gain a few pounds over the holidays!
What else are we supposed to squeeze in during the month of December? Well, appropriately, we’ll have St. Nicholas Day, Letter Writing Day, Christmas Card Day, Egg Nog Day, Bake Cookies Day, Roast Chestnuts Day, Pumpkin Pie Day and Poinsettia Day. Oddly, December also marks Ice Cream Day, International Monkey Day, National Bouillabaisse Day, and National Bicarbonate of Soda Day. I’m not making this up, folks – google them – they really are ‘holidays’!
I think that these holidaymakers should follow their own advice on December 31st – National Make Up Your Mind Day!
Happy Monday,
~Mary
