I went into a Wal-Mart in August only to find a whole section full of Christmas items...trees, lights, gifts?

It seems to me that the "Holiday Season" is way out of hand and has simply turned into a giant marketing tool for merchants. EVERY store I go into now BEFORE Halloween is devoted to Christmas and the Holidays and I personally think it is way too early and takes away from the "spirit and joy" we used to feel after Thanksgiving?

Am I just becoming old or have we lost something with all this early "Holiday hype"? What do you think?

Hey Chuck,
You're not getting old. They are starting earlier and earlier selling Christmas stuff.

I Love the Christmas holiday and if they want to start putting out decorations in August it's fine by me. The month between Thanksgiving and Christmas is not enough time for me to Celebrate Christmas.

I understand the merchants just want to make their "quick-buck" as fast as possible. Just because they are putting out Christmas stuff early to make money, doesn't mean I can't enjoy it.

All I see the the Joy and Happiness Christmas brings me.

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Mary

I say the same thing every year......I remember when Christmas items didn't show up till after Halloween.....The shelves from Halloween would be cleared for the Christmas.....I think it takes away a little bit from the anticipation for the Christmas Holiday, not to mention that when my little ones see it they think Christmas is really really really really really close......

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"You can never really pay back. You can only pay forward."

Wayne Woodrow “Woody” Hayes

O-H-I-O

I'm glad they put it out early this year because for once, I didn't have any wrapping paper or gift bags and DH's family has already had one Christmas 'celebration' this year. His grandparents winter in Florida and leave earlier every year so we get together and celebrate 'HalloThanksMas' and have Thanksgiving Dinner, open Christmas gifts and the kids get H'ween treats too.

I have done my best to ignore all the Christmas type merchandise. I cant even get myself in the mood for Halloween this year and now the retailers are trying to shove me towards Xmas.

I think that by putting the items out so early they are ensuring that by the actual holiday we will be sick of it.

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Sell crazy some place else, we are all stocked up here.

I completely agree w/ Chuck. I am 38, and I vividly remember the days when I was younger and you *never* saw the Christmas stuff until around Thanksgiving - it really made the day after Thanksgiving extra special, seeing all the Christmas displays. It's hard to recapture that feeling, when you've been seeing Christmas trees and Santas sitting side by side with pumpkins and skeletons!

But it doesn't end there with me. I, personally, get annoyed with how the retailers do EVERY holiday: seeing Valentine's stuff on Dec. 26th; Easter stuff Feb. 15th; and so on. (Hallmark stores have their Christmas ornaments out in early July, if not sooner!!! )

No wonder time seems to fly by. The retailers certainly help that problem, with rushing us from holiday to holiday....

Suzanne

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Fate is like a strange, unpopular restaurant, filled with odd waiters who bring you things you never asked for and don't always like. - Lemony Snicket

I remember when Christmas items didn't show up until Thanksgiving weekend...hehe.

It's getting too early, I think. I LOVE Christmas time and how people seem to be more happy and friendly, but I think putting out Christmas items even before kids are back in school is a little much.

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Since we're all annoyed by it, why is it so profitable??? Don't we represenet the typical consumers? Or are there some people who make this sport of pushing us toward each holiday a good money-making idea?

I went into Walgreen's back at the end of August - about 2 weeks into school, one of my boys will get sick, you can bet on it - we are waiting on our prescriptions so we are walking around. They have Halloween candy, and on the other side of the aisle, Christmas stuff.

That's crazy! I went in there last night and the Thanksgiving stuff is already reduced.

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Catt
~ Mirror Mirror on the wall, I am my mother - after all! ~

The mere fact that we are *here* might indicate that we are not *typical consumers*. LOL

I feel more sad that Thanksgiving is now just used as a meal to "carb up" for the next day's shopping excursion!

I don't mind seeing Christmas items for sale or on the shelves 60 days in advance, I just worry that with as commercial as Halloween has become with all the decor and what not that it lessens the total effect of a day we ALL need to sit down and take a moment to reflect on being THANKFUL for all we already have not chomping at the bit eager to rush out for things we don't have yet.


X

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Then Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28

Lest we forget, there's also the stores that are open on Thanksgiving.

I find this sad....I remember when Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Easter were Holidays where all the stores were closed....

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"You can never really pay back. You can only pay forward."

Wayne Woodrow “Woody” Hayes

O-H-I-O

The whole retail scene is deplorable.

And mc is not totally innocent. The Black Friday board has already been up how long? How long before Halloween? ? ? ? ?

I don't frequent it, but will take this opportunity to thank the powers that be to keep it all in 1 place so those of us not interested don't have to skip post after post after post. However in keeping with the flavor of this thread, it could have waited until after Halloween.

dl

As far as retailers are concerned it is a way to cut down on inventory and store labor. Unless you work retail you probably don't notice these things. Most stores have certain areas or aisles set up for "seasonal merchandise", you go into Walmart and it's always the same section etc. most stores are this way. The items for one holiday go up right after the next helps keep down inventory costs, they don't have to buy a whole bunch of other stuff to fill the aisle for 2-3 weeks or something like that. Also the store workers don't have to "set it up twice" thus saving the store labor costs which hopefully trickle down to the consumer in saved $$$$. It's just good business sense. Valentines goes up the day after Christmas, because why set some other product (a huge amount in a huge amount of space) just to turn around and take it down in 2 weeks to set Valentines Day, when your Valentines Day inventory is already sitting in back in the warehouse. Easter gets set the day after Valentines Day, etc. As far as Christmas stuff being set in August there are alot of customers that want to buy boxed cards early to get a good selection (not me, LOL) or those who collect Christmas ornaments want to buy those early, etc. I am not saying I agree with it, but that's why it's done. It saves the store money and labor costs.

Since people get "Christmas club checks" in Sept or Oct. the stores usually try to have there Christmas stuff out ahead of time. The stores are just trying to figure the times when people get their extra money..before you spend it elsewhere.

ahhhh, gee! You mean the OP is a hypocrit?? No! Say it ain't so!!!

I love Christmas--I love the Christmas specific shops that are open year round. I listen to Christmas Carols pretty much year round. By the same token, I love Halloween/Fall/Thanksgiving season as well. These seasons/holidays are what you make them.

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Mental that one, I'm telling you. ---Ron Weasley, "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets"