When did football become Christmas?

Remember when you really couldn't wait for Christmas? When did this happen?

Frustrated looks at the calendar = Players getting in trouble for the off-season
Thanksgiving = Freshmen report for Fall
Shopping = Internet and newspaper reports
Christmas entertainment = Bulldog Booster meetings
Pre-Christmas dinner = Picture day
Christmas Eve = The last Friday night in August
Christmas Morning = The opener!
Opening the big present (You hope it's what you wanted) = GA / FL
The last present = GA / GT
Wait there's one more! (a good year) = SEC Championship
And another! (sometimes, it is socks) = Bowl Game
Waking up December 26th = The day AFTER the bowl game

Christmas dinner = the smell of ... Athens? Bourbon, charcoal
Christmas Carols = The redcoat band
Christmas suspense = How we gonna look against South Carolina?
Christmas joy = Beating one of the big boys
Christmas tradition = beating Tech