Arriving into Philadeplhia last night had felt odd. It felt like Christmas Eve. Everyone was leaving the city early to go home and be with family. Roads were snarled; stations jam-packed. It was a cold, dark evening, Christmas decorations hung everywhere and people had that Christmas Eve look about them. Every conversation ended with that same sentiments: "Now, you have a great holiday, ok?".

It was odd firstly because it felt like Christmas and I was being left out of it. But secondly, more odd because it wasn't actually Christmas at all!

That feeling continued today with shops and museums all closed and streets empty. It felt like Christmas day, although I knew it wasn't. The confusion was deepend by the Thanksgiving Parade which I watched. The images and characters (like snowmen and Santa) were those which I would associate with Christmas. (Of course there was a good helping of the traditional American marching bands, cheerleaders and majorettes too.)

But has Christmas (or "The Holiday Season") really become so commercialised here that it has been drawn out into a month long celebration? It's certainly dominated by corporate America. The parade had a dozen or so major sponsors and had to stop every ten minutes for a commericial break in the live TV coverage. But it also seems like mass manipulative therapy of the population: You will celebrate. You will feel good. This is a special time of year. You should spend money in our shops...

Thanksgiving. How odd.