Tuesday, September 30, 2014

The German Christmas Discussion

Around four weeks ago....first week day of September....I came to notice an odd thing at a local grocery.  They'd put up Christmas cakes and cookies.  In fact.....this week at another grocery, I noted the German Christmas cakes and cookies on discount already.

Yeah, even by German standards, it's awful early to start putting Christmas items up on any shelf area.

So, this brings up a topic pushed by the media.....banning Christmas items at grocery stores until November.  They actually want German political figures to step in and use their commerce control authority, and ban Christmas sweets from appearing in public until a certain date.

An American would look at this and simply shake his head.  The last thing on Earth you need to get some political dimwits involved in.....is controlling Christmas-item sales.

Last night....one of the commercial networks got involved in this business, and got their reporter dressed up in a Santa outfit and he appeared at a local mall.  Late September.....and a Santa in full-swing.....waving at kids and handing out cookies.

The general take?  There were actually Germans who told the early-bird Santa that this was definitely wrong, and he ought to hightail (a southern expression) it back to the North Pole.  The kids enjoyed the early appearance of Santa, and this kinda gets them already into a hyper state about Christmas arriving soon.....well.....maybe a hundred days away.  It might be a pretty long hyper state of waiting for Santa to deliver on the gift business.

Would the SPD, Greens, Linke Party, and CDU political players be willing to jump into committee talks of controlling Christmas commerce?  It's hard to say.  Usually, they prefer ironclad topics like rent reform, pension reform, refugee reform, autobahn speed reform, maut reform, or NSA investigations.  Jumping into Christmas cookies or chocolate?  This just makes them look stupid, if you ask me.

So, as you shop around a neighborhood grocery, and notice some delicious high-calorie Christmas cakes for sale.....you might want to pick one up and start getting into the festive occasion.

No comments: