On one of my shelves is a Christmas CD I ordered a couple weeks ago and it remains unopened. An amazing feat for someone who likes to rip into a CD as soon it arrives and proceed to listen to it a million times before getting tired of it and finally moving on to another one.

But my motivation is strong. I love Thanksgiving and feel like it's been shown the door way too soon these days. Now I understand the reason to get folks feeling festive a couple months before Christmas. But who's to say the marketplace can't still honor one holiday at a time? Savor things a little more slowly, you know?

Nordstrom  does. Their door signs usually say something like:

“We won’t be decking our halls until Friday, Nov. 25. Why? Well, we just like the idea of celebrating one holiday at a time. From our family to yours, Happy Thanksgiving.”

And last I knew their sales were still going strong. Perhaps they generate even more Black Friday excitement. The longer you wait, the sweeter it is? Perhaps.

So Kudos to Nordstrom.

Oh, and to my insurance agent who sent me a Thanksgiving card.

And to the Des Moines Public Library folks who are currently displaying Thanksgiving books and even offering complimentary bookmarks featuring good Thanksgiving reads.

Lets enjoy Thanksgiving a little longer shall we? And the pilgrim hat can stay on our coat racks at least until after dinner, I  hope.

Each month I look forward to downloading fresh desktop wallpaper  submitted by readers of Smashing Magazine -- a great site for designers, coders and marketers.

And I feel it's only fair to pass this enjoyable resource down to you.

This month I downloaded one from the same designer I did last month without realizing it. And now that I look closer, I definitely see some similarities between the two designs. I guess my personal tastes also resemble those belonging to Design Bread.  So, hey, might as well check out their site, too -- good stuff!

Side note: This month, as usual, there are a wide variety of designs but if beggars could be choosers, I would definitely prefer more Thanksgiving designs. And I talk a little more about that here.

Do you feel a little alone in your Thanksgiving festivities? Do you frequently check your calendar thinking that perhaps Thanksgiving came and went and somehow you missed it? Have you looked in vain for candy corn to enjoy during your Thanksgiving celebration only to find a giant stuffed reindeer sitting on the last bag? Take heart! Nordstrom is on your side. And, I might add, differentiating itself from its competition quite nicely. This year, signs on their doors read:

From our family to yours,
Happy Thanksgiving.
We like celebrating one holiday at a time, so you won't find our halls decked until Friday, November 26.
Join us then, when we open our doors to a festive new season.
We'll be closed Thanksgiving Day.

Marketing tip: Start planning your holiday marketing far in advance. It's a big job! But consider a little Thanksgiving marketing, too. One holiday at a time. You won't look as greedy and you'll stand out from the crowd.