I haven't seen any Christmas advertising yet

[tharpdevenport]

They are already putting the Christmas candy up at Wal-Mart. They were consolidating the leftover Halloween candy today -- even as people were buying it -- to the left, and prepping for the Christmas candy. I even saw some bags. I think I saw a X-Mas commercial a couple days ago. I know for two weeks or so K-Mart has been airing "Layaway" commercials for it.

 

[auntiehill]

It may have been Target I know it was a discounter. The thing is 14 of the last 15 years you would have gotten a lot of Christmas catalogs already. Carrying ads on my back gives me my own instant economic analysis.

^I'll bet.

My mom lives out in the country, and does almost all her shopping from catalogs or the internet. She is now on every mailing list that could possibly exist.

One Christmas, she got 3 of those large, white plastic boxes FULL of catalogs----in one day.

The next year, she got even MORE catalogs---and the postmaster of their tiny town asked her to come pick it up, because the mail truck couldn't carry all the catalogs.

 

[Trekker4747]

It's November 1st tomorrow. Last year we got bombarded on tv and radio in mid-September. This year - zip.

Is it the recession? Is it the fact the retailers finally understand we're not interested/pissed off?

Have you had heaps? In New Zealand it's unusually quiet...

I've seen some.

 

[Amaris]

I have seen a few commercials.


J.

 

[Maestro]

Pretty quiet here in my part of the Midwest. My wife was complaining that Target had the Christmas display going and encroaching on the Halloween stuff. This was earlier in the week when she was buying candy. It didn't sound like it was ram the tree down your throat kind of display, though. Probably won't be long, though!

 

[RandyS]

One of the things that really annoys me about Canada is the length of the Christmas season. It kicks into gear as soon as Halloween is over. At least in the States it usually waits until after Thanksgiving.

Actually, here in the States, it starts anywhere from the middle of September to the middle of October. Except for my pharmacy. They sometimes start in July.

Yep, July.

 

[WillsBabe]

I can understand why retailers start their Christmas merchandising when they do. If you think about it in terms of pay days, for example, for those who are paid monthly, there might be, right now, only one payday between now and Christmas. I am already thinking in those terms, myself. I get paid next at the end of November and then, after that, at the end of December. My December payday comes too late to be of any use buying Christmas things. So, my October paypacket and my November paypacket have to cover Christmas. Retailers are aware that people have to spread their buying over a longer time period and are providing merchandise to meet the buying ability as and when it arises. I can understand it but I don't particularly enjoy it.

 

[Dar70]

Well some retailers also start early to just move the merchandise. Most big box retailers get alotments of holiday decorations and candy. They dont order them at store level, so they have to try to move it before the end of the season before the bargain hunters come in to get it at clearance. Thats why you see Halloween stuff in late August or early September and Christmas in late Spetember or early October. I have seen some Kmarts put their Halloween and Christmas stuff out in Septemeber at the same time.

I have seen a trend the last few years though to curb the big discounts at the end of the season. Almost all the stores here in michigan are starting to carry less holiday merchandise.

Pharmacy stores Walgreens, Riteaid and CVS had less Halloween decorations this year. I know because they actually have carried some pretty good stuff the last few years. I usually buy one nice Halloween decoration a year. This year they all carried smaller cheaper decorations and much less. Kmart had less decorations as well as many other big box retailers. Some even are carrying a little less candy.(Though the kmart by my house had way to much this year) Looks like many retailers are getting smarter and have gotten their allotments reduced.

So for everyone that is sick of it. They arent trying to shove the season down your throats but just trying to move the merchandise. It actually seems to be working though because most retailers seem to discount about a 1/4 of the stuff that they used to. People are now buying decorations and candy at regular sales because the good stuff is usually gone at the end of the season now. Halloween stores, halloween Usa and Spirit Halloween even seemed to have a little less decorations this year.

 

[WillsBabe]

just trying to move the merchandise.

That's what I'm sick of!