Christmas is keeping me from work

I've come to the conclusion that I will probably not have a job until after New Years. Christmas is Thursday, but I feel like many Londoners have already started their vacation. My landlord did. (Yes and thank you because I currently have no hot water!)

Christmas is taken a lot more seriously here than in the states. Since I've arrived, every bar, pub, store and restuarant I've been to played an endless amount of Christmas songs. They sing songs, they wear hats, they dress up as Santa, they put up lights everywhere, they take vacations! (What New Yorker or American for that matter takes two weeks vacation for Christmas?! Half of us don't even get two weeks vacation off for the year!)

Example 1: Al and I are having a beer at a pub, the song "A fairytale in New York" comes on, and it was like Journey's "Don't Stop Believing" came on the speakers the way everyone stopped what they were doing to sing the song.

(No wonder we view British people like this.. LONDON SILLYNANNYS

Example number 2: Once again, Al and I went to get a drink (don't think we are alcoholics, it's for socializing purposes!) and on the left side of the bar, 4 dudes are standing on the side, dressed up as Santa Clause!



Example number 3: Waiting to cross the street, a woman drives by in a pink car wearing what... A SANTA HAT! Mind you, I've seen people on the Tube with these Santa hats on, in the street... it's everywhere!

Example 4: They even keep tabs on international Santa!!! According to the London Paper, Santa in Brooklyn got a parking ticket! (apparently I'm not the only one that gets screwed by traffic cops) I bet New Yorkers didn't even know Santa got a ticket... (they are too worried about their own damn tickets).



They wear crowns all day on Christmas, they take off two weeks vacation and despite their own economic crisis, they are still able to spend 450 million British pounds on last minute Christmas shopping sprees (London Times) (add picture)... It's crazy! and everytime I talk about my astonishment with their embellished Christmas holiday practices, they say "Oh, well don't you guys celebrate Thanksgiving more than Christmas?" "NO?!"