Although I understand both sides, I've always been relatively indifferent to the whole "earlier and earlier every year!" sentiment. On my own, I'll listen to whatever music and watch whatever movies I feel like, whenever I feel like listening or watching them, thank you very much. I usually don't switch into full-on holiday mode until December, but I'll listen to an album here or there and watch "A Christmas Story" once or twice throughout the year. It's always struck me as a little unfortunate that there's an extensive body of incredible music surrounding the holidays (all the winter holidays, actually, not only Christmas), but we feel constrained to enjoying it for just a month each year.
On the other hand, I roll my eyes when I see that department store du jour is putting out the trees with the Halloween decorations, or when I hear the first badly-rendered pop version of a holiday classic in mid-November. It doesn't, though, bother me to the point of not shopping there or complaining about it. I shrug and go on about my business.
My family has its share of traditions surrounding both holidays. Christmas is more comprehensive, while Thanksgiving consists mainly of a couple family dinners, but they're both something I look forward to each year. No longjumping over the turkey to get to the tree, in other words.
But this year seems to be shaping up a bit differently: I find myself overlooking Thanksgiving (and Halloween!) completely, and thinking about December and snow and Christmas. Watching the movies. Listening to the music.
A couple reasons for this: The weather here in St. Louis changed pretty quickly from a nice long summer to cold and wet. No gradual descent, but a crash landing. Also, elsewhere. I tuned into the New England Patriots' game last Sunday and my jaw dropped when I saw the field covered with snow. It's the middle of October! The biggest reason though is probably the madrigal group I joined. A couple months of singing Christmas songs for a few hours every week will do that to you, I guess.
Anyhow, there you have it. Christmas before Thanksgiving? This year, for me, it can't come too soon.