Confessions of an Early Decorator

I hear and read many complaints and irritations about the early decorating of department stores and malls for Christmas. I have been somewhat sheepish about the fact that my own Christmas decorating seems to get earlier and earlier every year. I come from a family where this is considered an assault on something sacred; that is, that great American holiday of Thanksgiving. I do enjoy Thanksgiving. I really get into cooking beautiful dishes and turning out a moist turkey. However, I think the spirit of Thanksgiving is a fantastic introduction to a season of holidays and the true spirit of Christmas. After all, one of the things I am most thankful for is Christs' birth. Even though I know the motivation for the stores is to get more sales, I do not at all mind the early decorating, as it gives me a reminder to get my shopping and shipping done, and to enjoy a more leisurely Christmas season. I don't shop of Black Friday (why is it called that, anyway?), and I don't watch TV commercials, so I don't get fed up with the commercialization of Christmas. Finally, I just don't have that many decorations for holidays or even non-holidays . . . but I have a really great Christmas tree. Honestly, I have only ever seen two or three I like as well as my own. So, why not make the most of it? My preferred time of decorating is the Sunday before Thanksgiving. And I am not ashamed.