Early seasonal merchandise

[mtbc]

Years ago, in central Ohio, I couldn't help but notice stores having had to pull the Christmas items off the shelves to make room for the Hallowe'en items, which was enough of a surprise. (Admittedly, in the Philippines, Christmas seems to run from September to January.) A further surprise to me this year in Britain is a religious puzzle: Easter confectionery appeared on the shelves well before Lent. I didn't think Lenten foods of being quite so celebratory. When do people eat their Easter eggs? The clue doesn't appear to be in the name.

Comments

[aldabra]

Easter eggs appeared in the first week of January. (I've seen Christmas and Hallowe'en eggs in recent years, and an image search for "easter advent calendar" is depressing.)

I think the aim is to get us to think of it as seasonal candy rather than specific-day candy.

Also Easter crackers. Easter crackers are so wrong that it has taken my synapses several minutes to pass that thought up to my conscious brain.

[mtbc]

Goodness, wow. Yeah, must be as broad a season as they can jam random crap into, apparently! (Admittedly, I'll keep my eyes peeled for Simnel cake.)

[bens_dad]

Fifty plus years ago, my mother was told that the grocer got a discount on Easter Eggs if he ordered before Christmas. Not, then, if he took delivery, but the phenomonon has been growing for a long time.

[poliphilo]

Few British people observe Lent- being as how we're a post-Christian country. I certainly don't- and I can't think I know anyone who does.

[mtbc]

Admittedly I was thinking that, even if not observing it, perhaps people might still notice how wrong it seems to see that stuff already, but we're probably enough post-Christian that even that barely enters many's awareness. It was odd running into people in Asia who think of the UK as a very Christian country, which opened my eyes to the odd impressions that outsiders might receive. (I mean, really, even of the minority who still call themselves C of E, it's not like they are all believers and churchgoers!)

[bens_dad]

... apart from Pancake Tuesday
... which was originally using up the last of the things that couldn't be eaten in Lent
... which was because they were running out at the end of winter. If you aren't allowed to eat something it doesn't matter so much if there isn't any ...

[mtbc]

I wonder if plenty more people still eat pancakes on that day than at all observe Lent thereafter.

[maju]

Hot cross buns appear in Australian shops right after Christmas.

[mtbc]

Ha, true enough, now you mention it, they've been in the shops here for a while too. I once saw them in SE Asia sold as something different but hot cross buns is clearly what they were! That reminds me of seeing in the US a strangely named baking pan thing (they clearly weren't sure what to call it) that, to my eyes, was obviously a Yorkshire pudding tin. (-:

[wpadmirer]

I think they put out all the special Easter candies early because people will buy them and eat them, and then buy them again.

Pat loves those Peeps things, and he would eat a box a day if he had them. (This is why he won't let me buy them for him!)

[mtbc]

Admittedly, I've known people who have eaten most of the Hallowe'en candy they bought for giving out on the night, by the time that evening arrives.