One holiday season at a time, people...!

[Machias Banshee]

As we all know, the stores like to get an early start on Christmas - decorations, trees, giant inflatable light-up snowmen...

I went to a Home Depot today, and they have all their decorations and trees up NOW. They were putting up snow-globes and Christmas trees up in September.

I can't believe we're at the point where we're putting that stuff up BEFORE Halloween decorations even get put out. At this rate, there's going to be Christmas displays during the summer next year. I love the holiday like anyone, but this is getting way out of hand... What next, Christmas trees with Candy Corn strings? Or Santa Claus carved into Pumpkins? Can we at least have Halloween left alone? Thanksgiving is getting covered over by 'Winter Holidays' as it is...

Has anyone else seen this in the local stores yet?

[Powder]

I went to Cracker Barrel tonight, if you've never been to one it's basically a restaurant with an oldschool general store in the front. They had tons of Christmas stuff out, snowglobes, wreaths, you name it. & yes, Halloween too. Pretty ridiculous but not the first time I've seen it done that way somewhere. I do think it may be worse than last year, though.

[Leonardo Mystic]

I know, right? Walmart is starting now to put out Christmas with the Halloween. :ohwell: It's way too early. They used to do it a week before Halloween and that's early enough there.

As for Cracker Barrel, they've had Halloween and just a smattering of Christmas in their country stores since August.

[pannoni1]

Sadly, I've noticed the "burnt out/spoiler" factor with regards to Christmas in recent years. I still feel Halloween does a good job as we're now in October meaning that it's "seasonally appropriate" to start preparing for that holiday. At least during October we don't see/hear stuff like Christmas music, winter sales, snowblowers just yet. But this "seasonal creep" is just a drive for customers to spend money. I've seen bathing suits in January as well! And don't get me started on that "Merry/Festive/Happy" thing with regards to political correctness in terms of greetings! But just wait until IMMEDIATELY after Halloween, it seems like "Chirstmas is here and you can't escape it"- music everywhere, webpages with a snowflake/tree/reindeer/wreath. That period between Halloween and Thanksgiving is definitely the most "pushy" time of the year.

If somebody wants Christmas before the season starts, just use a search engine, please!

[BubblyShell22]

I think the reason they're doing this is because of the economy and wanting people to get an early start on Christmas shopping. While I can understand the motive, it's just way too much for me. I'm not big on holidays anymore anyway, and I really am not in the mood to see Christmas stuff up before Halloween is even here. Next thing you know, radio stations are going to start playing Christmas music. Yuck!

[Roseangelo]

I was glad to see the Christmas lights show up at Target, as I've been needing replacement bulbs/fuses for a non-Christmas string of lights I keep up year-round.

[Jester]

RIP
Thanksgiving
1863-2011

[Spitfire]

Awesome at this rate Christmas season will be from January to December by 2020.

[Slap-Happy]

I do agree that Christmas stuff is on shelves a bit too early this year. At least last year it started right after Black Friday.

[Roseangelo]

At least last year it started right after Black Friday.

No it didn't. You must not have been looking.

[BubblyShell22]

Usually, it does start after Black Friday and sometimes before that. Last year, I think it started a bit before Black Friday. This year, they're going overboard. But I think it's a money thing because they know the economy's tough for everyone. So, I think they're going to have sales and stuff so people can do their Christmas shopping early. Heck, I could care less about getting presents or whatever. I've got better things to think about than that.

[Slap-Happy]

No it didn't. You must not have been looking.
Speak for yourself. Remember that not everyone lives in the same area as you.

[mysterycolor]

i was a bit amazed the other day when i was shopping and one aisle was halloween, the end cap had thanksgiving and the next aisle was christmas... had to leave before it was 2012...

[sdp]

No offence but complaining about Christmas starting early is getting as annoying as Christmas starting early. This isn't something new and Christmas stuff by October or even earlier in some stores this is nothing new. Yeah it sucks but complaining about it is irrelevant by this point since it's been many years since it started happening. Christmas stuff at the end of September? depending on the store this is not new this year.

[BubblyShell22]

I think the complaint is that it's not even Halloween yet, and they're already doing Christmas stuff. Usually, it's done after Thanksgiving, but we feel that it's overkill to do it this early. But the stores need their money, and they feel this is the way to do it.

[Roseangelo]

No offence but complaining about Christmas starting early is getting as annoying as Christmas starting early. This isn't something new and Christmas stuff by October or even earlier in some stores this is nothing new. Yeah it sucks but complaining about it is irrelevant by this point since it's been many years since it started happening. Christmas stuff at the end of September? depending on the store this is not new this year.

Exactly.

National chains such as Target, WalMart, Home Depot, etc. have been rolling out Christmas stuff at the end of September/beginning of October for at least several years. It's been a long, long time since the Christmas shopping season was strictly defined as Thanksgiving-Christmas. That's just too short of an amount of time for stores to make the amount of money they need to make here at the end of the year.

People just need to get over it.

[Eiko]

Being Aussie i don't celebrate Halloween. but Target, Big W etc are putting thier Christmas stuff out it is kinda silly but i just ignore it.

[Hero]

I don't mind the early Christmas fanfare myself as it sort of makes up for the lack of people everywhere preserving the 12-Day duration of it just because New Year happens in-between. Makes me sad that some like to timewarp to Jan 6th on Dec 26th. Maybe I'm just old fashioned. :)

I'm not exactly the biggest fan of Halloween either, so seeing Christmas stuff around cheers me up.

Sometimes it is practical to start Christmas shopping early. Some people I know do all their present shopping in August. It is a good way of taking a ton of rush and stress out of December. Especially for people who don't have a lot of time and money, spreading Christmas expenditure across a longer period of time works better. I should know, as I am charge of Chrimbo at my house and I have to make sure we can get provisions in economically and practically to avoid the greed rush.

I see what people are saying about Christmas promotion starting way too early. I would just prefer to see that same expression of appreciation during Christmas rather than take it all down during it.

===HERO

[BubblyShell22]

I think a lot of people also start shopping early because of sales and things like that. They figure the earlier they get it done, the better so they don't have to fight the crowds.

[pannoni1]

To many, the "Christmas Season" begins today!

If you watched the Simpsons Treehouse of Terror episode, you noticed that Homer said "Halloween's over! Now it's time for Christmas!" and the snow fell. Seemingly at Midnight, eBay's logo switched from Breast Cancer to a gingerbread with "get gifts". I find the period between Halloween and Thanksgiving as a "secondary lent" in terms of Christmas preperations; try to give it up as you can without spoiling it. Some shopping is OK, but don't decorate your house yet, don't listen to any holiday music, until Thanksgiving has past, at least in the US. Other countries like Canada and Britain don't have a Thanksgiving in their way so they can be good game for Christmas.

This "seasonal creep" phenomenon isn't exclusive to Christmas. I've seen reports of Valentine's Day cards/gifts BEFORE Christmas, Easter in January, and Back-to-School stuff in June! We all need to learn to be more patient and not get ahead of ourselves too much. It's important to follow every step no matter what procedure you do. Just remember that God or whoever didn't plan this and that it's all about consumerism.

[愛]

We have this thread every year. Shows how old I'm getting. :/

[rav4ge]

To many, the "Christmas Season" begins today!
Especially here in Canada, where Thanksgiving comes before Halloween. 2 months to go!

[Hero]

This "seasonal creep" phenomenon isn't exclusive to Christmas. I've seen reports of Valentine's Day cards/gifts BEFORE Christmas, Easter in January, and Back-to-School stuff in June! We all need to learn to be more patient and not get ahead of ourselves too much. It's important to follow every step no matter what procedure you do. Just remember that God or whoever didn't plan this and that it's all about consumerism.

You are right there. Its the consumerism that links two totally incompatible holidays like Halloween and Christmas together. I think if people are going to do both, they should do Ramadan etc as well :)

In England, Easter Eggs and Valentine's Day cards appear in the shops here in December... Easter fine, its like the sequel to Christmas anyway, but Valentine's Day is ike a pointless dictated day for people to do something with/for their loved one, but people can do something special any-time.

Never done Thanksgiving here, obviously cos I'm British :). That's less annual turkey consumption for me.

===HERO

[Candy Kappa]

I love yuleween

[gobo]

Just saw a Christmas commercial from some department store on The Hallmark Channel. :roll:

[Jester]

Just saw a Christmas commercial from some department store on The Hallmark Channel. :roll:
I wanna say I saw an ad for ABC Family's preview to the 25 days of Christmas before Halloween.

[Candy Kappa]

Halloween is still a bit on the obscure side here in Norway so we have had x-mas candy and yule soda since late September/early October

[Peanut]

We have this thread every year. Shows how old I'm getting. :/

We've been here for so f*cking long. Damn.

[Candy Kappa]

heh, you old people

[ToTheNines]

I don't let it bother me. I put my decorations up and start watching Christmas specials a few days after Black Friday, regardless of when the commercials and stores start things.

I do shop for Christmas gifts year round though. I like getting unique gifts, so if I see something at the flea market, at the store, or online... I get it while I can lol.

[gobo]

yule soda
:blanksta: WTF?? :-?

[Redeemer]

To many, the "Christmas Season" begins today!

If you watched the Simpsons Treehouse of Terror episode, you noticed that Homer said "Halloween's over! Now it's time for Christmas!" and the snow fell. Seemingly at Midnight, eBay's logo switched from Breast Cancer to a gingerbread with "get gifts". I find the period between Halloween and Thanksgiving as a "secondary lent" in terms of Christmas preperations; try to give it up as you can without spoiling it. Some shopping is OK, but don't decorate your house yet, don't listen to any holiday music, until Thanksgiving has past, at least in the US. Other countries like Canada and Britain don't have a Thanksgiving in their way so they can be good game for Christmas.

This "seasonal creep" phenomenon isn't exclusive to Christmas. I've seen reports of Valentine's Day cards/gifts BEFORE Christmas, Easter in January, and Back-to-School stuff in June! We all need to learn to be more patient and not get ahead of ourselves too much. It's important to follow every step no matter what procedure you do. Just remember that God or whoever didn't plan this and that it's all about consumerism.

Yeah I am finding it ridiculous, I work 4 a toy store now and we r already preparing for the x-mas season, We had our x-mas stuff out for the first time today. I mean what happened to thanks giving??????k I bet in the next decade (If that) The x-mas season will start b4 Halloween :(
Ill be honest its a little sad at how greedy people have become and how much X-mas as a holiday has been diluted....

[Hero]

I do shop for Christmas gifts year round though. I like getting unique gifts, so if I see something at the flea market, at the store, or online... I get it while I can lol.

That makes a lot of sense. You don't need Christmas advertised early everywhere to do that.

I make up giftboxes all year round to ship out to needy kids. I don't just chuck in toys and candy, but things like bathroom items too. I need the whole calendar to plan my stuff easier and put more thought into it all.

Speaking of which, has Toys for Tots started yet? I want to try and contribute this year even though I live further down the globe.

===HERO

[Candy Kappa]

:blanksta: WTF?? :-?

every year here in Norway most breweries make their own seasonal beverage: Jule brus, or Yule soda pop.

Hmm not writing pop in the end made yule soda open for a lot if interpretations. Yule washing soda, makes all your laundry red:lol:

[pannoni1]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VA86nHydlDg

The upload date mentions that it's only December 7th. That's their belief that Santa Claus has indeed arrived and that the preperations are not only complete, but done. What's next, opening your wedding gifts nearly three weeks before you're married?

[BubblyShell22]

I wouldn't be surprised if people thought that way.

To me, I think it's all about the stores getting revenue and the fact that since people don't have money to spend, they want to lower prices so people can still buy that next big thing.

I think it's ridiculous though that Christmas has become so commercialized over the years. It's one of the reasons I really don't like it anymore. Well, that and the fact that as I've gotten older, I really don't have any excitement for it, and that I don't believe in any higher power anymore.

To me, getting presents isn't a big thing. I could care less if I get anything for Christmas. As for giving, I don't mind giving people gifts if they want me to, but I'm all about being simple. Plus, since I don't have job right now, people don't really expect me to give them anything if I can't afford it. I do want to go in on a gift for my mom if my sister will consent to help. I think that would be nice since we didn't get to take her out for her birthday because I never really was able to ask my sis if she wanted to do that. I thought it would've been nice though.

[Hero]

I have brought down from the attic a percentage of my Christmas things already. Not for putting up, but for sorting through.

Have also started on stockings, presents etc because it creates more freedom in my December to enjoy it. It also makes covert gift acquiring a lot easier and more time to think of fun surprises. ;)

To me, this year will be a big deal as I am now a father and family man. The missus and I made the decision not to bombard or our almost 1-year old girl with loads of gifts as she will probably be overwhelmed as it is. Not to mention her birthday is on December 12th...

I hope one day you'll start to enjoy Christmas again, Bubblyshell. You ever know what may crop up.

Tonight in the UK its Guy Fawkes Night. Basically the British 4th of July with lots of Fireworks filling the sky. Not a big fan of it myself, but am taking the little un' to an early display before bedtime.

===HERO

[gobo]

The Hallmark Channel is playing christmas movies already. >_<

[BubblyShell22]

Sorry, Hero. I don't think I'll ever enjoy any holiday as much as I used to. It comes with getting older and having different beliefs. Just the way it goes. Plus, it's going to be depressing what with the family issues I have right now. Grandpa and Grandma aren't even coming for Thanksgiving, and I'm sad about that. I wanted to spend at least one more holiday with him, and with winter probably going to be crappy as it is, we may not even be able to get together for Christmas anyway. So, yeah, I have no excitement for it at all.

They're playing Christmas music in my Wal-Mart already. Yuck. I hate Christmas music 'cause it's just too cheerful, and I have nothing to be cheerful about right now.

[Katie]

Wow. Bah Humbug. I notice that in the wrestling thread you talk every week about being sick....maybe if you tried to have a more positive outlook on things you get healthier.

Radio stations here went to their Christmas format on Nov. First. I enjoy the holiday season....I feel happier and people seem nicer. Complaining about what is going on in the stores is so....I dunno.....depressing. be happy! It'll make your life seem better.

Enjoy the music and remember happy childhood times (growing up isn't so bad....soon I'll have little ones to make memories with. :) )

So what if you can't buy big expensive gifts or don't get them.....if that's all you care about you've missed the point of the day.

The decorations are wonderful! What a nice thing to change up the landscape from what you see every other time of the year.




I'm cheerfully putting out some Christmas stuff while I watch my Alabama game tonight. (Beat them Bayou Bengals. Heheh!) I may even make gingerbread elephants and houndstooth hats and drink eggnog.


Love this season!

[BubblyShell22]

Whatever. I don't care about being positive. I'm a cynical person. Get used to it. I hate holidays and always will. They bring me no cheer at all. As for kids, I doubt very much I'll have any. I really could care less about it. I'm going through a rough time right now with my grandpa being sick, and that's adding to my depression. Screw the holidays.

[Raph's Girl]

I started noticing Halloween and Christmas stuff in July. And here they put out Valentines stuff in December. *lol*

I did purchase Christmas cards from the dollar store in September tho...alot cheaper that way and it's usually just leftover stock from last year. Dollar store always runs out by November.

[BubblyShell22]

Valentine's stuff in December? That's hilarious.

We looked at the Christmas section in Wal-Mart today, but there wasn't a lot of stuff out yet. We saw these cool lights that are wireless and can be activated by a remote, but when we looked for them, they didn't have them. I suggested to Mom that we look for gift bags and tissue paper so that we had them for gifts, but we didn't see anything like that yet. It'll probably be out later.

[TheCanadiandrome]

My store that I work at, Dollarama, started to get Christmas stuff in September I think, and we'll likely get New Years stuff soon and Valentines I think comes usually December or January. It's nuts to get stuff so early. I wouldn't be so bad to have stuff early if not for the fact that head office expects it to go out even when we have no friggin room in the store

[gobo]

I'm seeing It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown already! >_<

I guess that's excusable though, in as much as I put the DVD in.

[BubblyShell22]

I'm seeing a lot of holiday commercials already, but that's no big surprise as they did that last year. I heard that the stores are all going to open at midnight on Black Friday for the first time ever.

[TheCanadiandrome]

not enough populace where i live to even bother with Black Friday. but on the 28th or so, the mall my store is in will be doing holiday hours, so open 9:30am til 9pm Monday til Friday and Saturday stays the same with 9:30am til 6pm, and Sunday 12 til 5

and the local Wal-Mart is going 24hours soon for the holidays as usual, at least til Christmas Eve

[BubblyShell22]

A lot of Wal-Mart stores are turning into twenty-four hour stores lately. I know your local Wal-Mart probably won't be that way after the holidays, but they might consider it.

Heck even the weather wants to begin early. I just heard we're going to get snow later on today and tonight. With the way the wind is blowing, I wouldn't be surprised if we got a freak blizzard.

[TheCanadiandrome]

Nah my local Walmart would never consider going 24 hours all year cause the staff would walk out in protest! Also, all the staff think its stupid go go 24 hours even for a month, cause not enough business and revenue.

Oh and today, the mall put up the big fat mans display already! Sheesh!

[BubblyShell22]

Yeah, talk about starting early!

We had our first snow here yesterday, and although we didn't get much, there were still some big flakes.

[Katie]

I didn't know there were Wal-Marts that weren't 24 hours anymore. Wow. Y'all must live far in the country.

[ToTheNines]

I didn't know there were Wal-Marts that weren't 24 hours anymore. Wow. Y'all must live far in the country.

Lol right. I live in West Virginia and they're all 24 hours ones out here.

[gobo]

Y'all must live far in the country.
Or in a separate country altogether.

[BubblyShell22]

The Wal-Mart my mom and I go to is twenty-four hours. I'm surprised there are still Wal-Marts that aren't as well.

[TheCanadiandrome]

I didn't know there were Wal-Marts that weren't 24 hours anymore. Wow. Y'all must live far in the country.

lol! :tlol:

my local Wal-mart is the only one that i know of in Canada that's not open 24 hours, i could be wrong of course

[BubblyShell22]

Well, maybe they'll eventually be twenty-four hours. You never know.

[TheCanadiandrome]

Well, maybe they'll eventually be twenty-four hours. You never know.
Lord only knows

[Cowabunga Carl]

So I work at Toys-R-us and we opened for Black Friday at 9pm on Thursday and will be open tell 12 am Friday night/Saturday morning. It's ridicules. We had Christmas stuff up halfway through October. Halloween hadn't even come yet before Halloween stuff was on clearance. It is getting out of hand.

[BubblyShell22]

Yeah, it's like they want to shove all these holidays down our throats earlier than they should. Some people want to just "spread holiday cheer" early, but all that does it make people get annoyed and hate said holiday. Though I will say, I do like seeing the candy out early.