Well folks, we’ve discussed it here before but it’s obvious: Christmas is starting earlier every year.
This year I definitely noticed Christmas stuff just after Labor Day – Labor Day! – but it’s in full force now. At a trip to Home Depot this past weekend, Christmas was all that was there. Seasonal storage? Fall tools? All gone in lieu of LED Santas, garland, ornaments, and other stuff like that.
Same was true at Costco, whose Christmas section is now complete and includes a giant inflatable Santa snow globe – one of my favorite things I’ll never buy. I also witnessed people leaving the store with carts full of boxes of garland. Lots and lots and lots of garland.
The funny thing to me is that it’s not like there are any incredible deals to be had yet. All this stuff is full price and not really on sale. It seems that the best strategy is to just go ahead and buy your Christmas stuff really early – like in January, when the previous year’s stuff is all on sale. I can deal with that type of holiday creep.
At this rate, too, we’ll have Christmas sales around the start of August in just a couple of years. That’ll be a treat!
Posted in Consumer Commentary
jk October 21, 2008, 2:40 am
I feel like I just took my garland down!
Dave Walls October 21, 2008, 12:27 pm
Most of the people who buy Christmas decorations before Labor Day probably have their lights up around the house from last year, anyways. They have plenty of free time.