Thunderstorms, some heavy during the morning hours, then skies turning partly cloudy during the afternoon. High around 85F. Winds SSE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%. 1 to 2 inches of rain expected..
Tonight
A few clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 68F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph.
News that the Optimist Club’s tree lot had almost completely run out of trees at the beginning of the week was surprising, but perhaps it shouldn’t have been.
The organization’s big annual fundraiser this year started with 700 trees ordered months in advance. On Tuesday, the lot was down to just a handful of specimens. That’s pretty early in the season to run out of fresh trees. Other tree merchants had similarly sparse selections this week, though some of them may be able to refresh their stock.
And it’s not just trees; retailers have reported higher-than-average sales for lights, ornaments and other symbols of the season.
The Wall Street Journal reported that many major retailers are reporting higher-than-expected sales. In many cases that’s following lower-than-usual ordering by stores, which cut back precisely because of the pandemic.
The result is emptier shelves in the Christmas section.
Is it any surprise that people want to focus on tinsel and twinkle lights right now?
We all know that the pandemic has everyone at home more and looking for safe activities. That means that, more than usual, folks are decking the halls like their lives — or at least their mental health — depend on it.
We saw similar phenomena in the spring and summer as more people than ever snapped up bicycles and camping equipment so they could spend time outside. There are lots of things we can’t do right now, but those we can are very popular.
As winter approaches, and the days become increasingly cold and dark, it feels good to focus on the warm, fuzzy feelings we associate with the holidays. It gives us something to think about besides you-know-what. It may help us bring joy to others.
Go ahead, be your neighborhood’s Clark Griswold.
If you’re not up to putting up your own holiday decorations, check out our guide to the area’s best lights displays, which will be in Sunday’s edition.
