FAN: Mall Santa Too Early

We went out to dinner last night and then headed to the mall to pickup a few things. We had dinner at a German restaurant and I was the only one who ordered something authentic. I had a sausage sampler which had one veal, one pork and one beef "link". They were so big I "Brat" some home. Poor joke, sorry. German potato salad and spaetzle rounded out the meal which started off with a roasted red pepper filled with goat cheese and drizzled with vinegar. To top it off we shared a slice of black forest cake and fresh cream that was the size of a cinder block. Yum. I asked the waiter and he confirmed that they buy some of their menu items from the German farm that I took Stilladog to when he last visitied. Cool, but I digress. What's stuck in my craw is that last night was Novemeber 21st and Santa was at the mall already. I know for years stores start decorating the second Halloween is over and one store we were in two weeks ago was already rockin' Christmas tunes, but usually you don't see the big guy until after Thanksgiving. I was kind of bummed out. When I met up with Mrs. Fan and Still A Stroke to go to the car I siad something about it and they told me he was out last week when they ran over to get something. Still A Stroke no longer believes so it makes it a little bit easier on us this year, but when the little kids have to put up with seeing Santa 6 or 7 weeks before the big day - I think it's too long. You can't stay excited that long. Marketers can have the airwaves and the storefronts. I'm just saying it was 56 degrees here last night at 8 pm. I was wearing shorts in the mall. To see Santa? Really? It just felt, well, wrong.