The Night of All Hallows Eve is just past and fall is in the air. The thought of turkey is on everyone’s mind as Thanksgiving approaches.

Anymore, that doesn’t matter.

Companies have taken every holiday past the Fourth of July (messing with patriotism won’t be tolerated) and lumped them all together in one big “spend-money-please-people-buy-our-product” marketing strategy.

Mervyn’s, Kohl’s, Target, Wal-mart, Cracker Barrel, and many other retail stores have been pushing holiday shopping, some since the beginning of August. Halloween decorations appeared the end of July, some Thanksgiving things have been sprinkled in since mid-October and Christmas made its debut the end of August in some stores.

This has taken all of the feeling and meaning out of the holiday for me. Turkey and dressing replace giving thanks. Value of a gift replaces the thought behind it. Now, there’s the rush to get the perfect gift and get it fast.

Pushing the season and its idea of giving is making profits for the stores and improving the economy, but it’s killing the meaning behind it.

It’s a spooky, cranberry-sauced, holly-golly holiday as long as the companies have an extra dollar in their pocket. That’s what really makes the “season” great.