Countdown to Christmas

My dears, it's official. The 2009 Christmas Holiday began, September 1th, when Christmas cards were spotted at the local Rite Aid by my dear friend, Vanessa Channing.  Of course she called me immediately to report in.  We have a bet going that by 2017, Christmas will begin Memorial Day weekend. Then this past Monday I spied Halloween cards displayed at my market. Halloween cards?  Who sends Halloween cards? And if you do, please tell me why.  I am, in fact, a huge fan of Halloween - a holiday with no gift-giving and tons of dark chocolate is the holiday for me.  Plus I look great in a witch costume. But the cards make me nervous, folks.  It's just a simple leap from card-sending to gift- giving. And we don't want to taint the utter perfection of a night featuring  Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, glowing pumpkins and long, drapey black clothes with gift-giving!!! Please, people, let's get a hold of this before we descend into madness.