Driving around the city of Des Moines and its suburbs, I notice that huge numbers of people have already taken down their holiday decorations, instead of waiting until after the first of the year. Shopping malls have done the same.
My husband has a theory: early dismantling of holiday displays reflects lack of optimism about how things are going. Whether it's people trying to save money on electric bills or just not feeling like celebrating, he thinks this has got to be bad for Bush and his so-called mandate. (The few houses in our inner-ring suburb that still have their full displays up are Republican households.)
Does anyone notice a trend of decorations coming down sooner, or are we just paying more attention now as parents of a toddler who likes looking at giant bears and snowmen? And if holiday displays are coming down earlier than usual, why do you think that is?