Hey Santa! Kinda Early?

So, it’s November 1st, the day after Halloween, and I’m driving down Beverly Dr. in Beverly Hills. I hit a red light at the corner of Wilshire Blvd and Beverly, and look up. And there he is, Santa Claus, Rudolf, and all the reindeer, high in the sky, dashing across the intersection.

Note to Santa: I’ve been watching you at this intersection since I was a child, and the first sighting of you up there, well, it always came AFTER Thanksgiving. What’s up with this?

It may be true that commerce is hijacking the holidays and the retail world is pushing us to shop earlier, shop longer, and in turn, spend more.

But I think it’s about something else, too. Something deeper. Life is loud, and hard sometimes, the collective stress – especially during this election year – is off the charts. The holiday season gives us the space to exhale. Relax. Imagine peace on earth. Stop arguing and fighting and love each other again.

We want more of that. And we want it earlier. We want it now. Wow, eight weeks of peace – that sounds like a very welcome relief.

So from me to you, I wish you a merry today. Take a deep breath, imagine peace. Smile again to everyone. Be love. Ho ho ho!