Well! I dropped into Freddie’s to pick up pitas and coconut milk and was greeted with the sight of Christmas decorations. Not some discreet beginning display of some lights and bulbs, but full on artifical trees decoratated and blinking, wrapping paper, the Singing Bass and so on.

Just as well Kip wasn’t with me: he would’ve been reduced to sputtering fury and disgust. And I in turn would’ve had the overwhelming impulse to pat his arm and lead him away as I turned to smile apologetically at people and explain about his condition.

Not that he is without his point. I was raised by the rule that the Christmas season did not begin until the end of the MacyÕs Day parade. When Santa officially came to town. Until then, no Christmas decorations in any shape or form. I like that really, it made Christmas seem more special as opposed to tiresome. Besides, who could think of Christmas until Thanksgiving had been successfully executed?

But today was the the first time I saw Halloween decorations so thoroughly mixed amongst the flashing Christmas trees. And I felt a small glimmer of approval.

I mean, here were our country’s two holidays of death co-mingled in cheerful display. Because though Christmas is the birth of Jesus, the main message I get is “Hooray! The blood sacrifice is born!” For I learned that Christ died before I ever heard he had been born. After all, until I was six, Santa dominated December.