Your Turn
No doubt you have seen the Halloween displays everywhere this weekend as you have been out. A full two months before the actual event. This does not really get me all that upset though. What else is there to display after school starts? But, I also saw some Christmas stuff this weekend and I retweeted a photo of a Macy's that already has its Christmas stuff out. Today, I want to know what is an acceptable day to start displaying Halloween stuff and Christmas stuff.
Halloween stuff can/should be out beginning of September.
ReplyDeleteI don't wanna see Xmas stuff until first of November.
Halloween - mid Sept to late Sept.
ReplyDeleteChristmas - After Thanksgiving.
Agree with @Henry Spencer. No Christmas stuff until Halloween is over. Don't need to see a plastic skull next to a Santa hat--or wearing one!
ReplyDeleteHalloween - end of September
ReplyDeleteThanksgiving - after Halloween
Christmas - after Thanksgiving
One holiday at a time.
I *almost* agree with @hothotheat - especially "one holiday at a time" - but I think Xmas is acceptable in November.
ReplyDeleteIs it just me getting old and crotchety (LOL), or does this stuff display earlier and earlier every year?
Once upon a time, Christmas displays didn't make an appearance until after the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade.
ReplyDeleteThen suddenly (or so it seemed) the displays were up earlier and earlier each year.
Mind you, I can understand the desire to milk every drop of coin out of a consumer as you can, but this borders on the absurd.
Halloween has gone from being a minor child-centric holiday to a decidedly more adult centered celebration, again fostered by the same impulse, milk the consumer.
Gone are the days of simple trick or treating.
Halloween: September 20
ReplyDeleteChristmas: November 1 would be best, but I wouldn't cry foul over October 15.
Agree with hothotheat up there..one at a time. I don't mind the stuff being out pretty early (esp Halloween -- that's my big decorating/display holiday, so I like to plan). I have a feeling Christmas is going to be shoved down our throats, and I hate it not because I dislike the holiday, but because I hate the emphasis on shopping and gift giving.
ReplyDeleteI like the Halloween stuff out early - makes me think about my costume ahead of time. Christmas stuff out before Thanksgiving pisses me off.
ReplyDeleteChristmas shouldn't be out until *at least* post Halloween-times, if not post Thanksgiving-days. The later the better.
ReplyDeleteAs for Halloween itself, it's pretty much the first thing little elementary school students have to look forward to after having their summer vacations ruthlessly ripped away. So... torturing them by starting the displays right after school starts? Sounds good to me.
I haven't seen any holiday decorations yet..
ReplyDeleteGrowing up in Chicago, it was our big tradition every year to go Downtown the day after Thanksgiving to see the elaborate holiday window displays at Marshall Fields. That used to be the official start of the holiday season. For me, starting Christmas before Thanksgiving almost cheapens the season. No Christmas songs, movies, or decorations until the day after Thanksgiving for me!
ReplyDeleteHenry Spencer said it perfectly.
ReplyDeleteChristmas season is supposed to be AFTER THANKSGIVING. I cannot even explain how much it pisses me off to hear Christmas music at the end of October/beginning of November. Because I then have to hear it until the first week of fucking January. STOP shoving Christmas down my throat!!
ReplyDeleteAFTER THANKSGIVING!!!!!
Mid September for Halloween.
I dont give a shit, and I dont see why anyone would. If you dont want to look at that stuff, just pass it by What does annoy me is that is if you need a bathing suit in July, you prob wont be able to find one, cos back to school stuff will be out. Thats annoying, not being able to get seasonal items because store one season ahead.
ReplyDeleteI like having the the advance time to think about what I need and the selection is incredible this early. It doesn't bother me that much. However, the songs on the radio to early do.
ReplyDeleteHalloween=October 1
ReplyDeleteThanksgiving=November 1
Christmas=December 1
One holiday per month is plenty.
And for the love of all that's holy, dont leave your Christmas decorations up until Spring! :)
The MUSIC is what makes me crazy. I don't need to hear that shit for 3 months straight.
ReplyDeletefor all i care, put out the christmas stuff in may and the halloween stuff in january. none of this bothers me. we live in a culture of mass consumption. our economy, and many other countries' economies depend on this crap. it is just the way it is.
ReplyDeleteoh, and play the christmas music too! play it at valentine's day! play it 4th of july! play it year-round! that's why i have headphones jammed in my ears at all times. ALL of the "music" played in stores is unbearably annoying, so why not just make it christmas music! at least nobody will have to write new songs!
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI had to do a Halloween display for last weekend. Labor Day weekend is a big weekend and now we'll be slower so we had to try and move it now.
ReplyDeleteI think I've talked my boss into not doing Halloween merch anymore, though. Half the stuff I put out is 1-4 years old. Doesn't sell well unless it's marked down.
Christmas will go out for November bc we have a big Xmas exhibit that starts then and, of course, you exit through the gift shop!
If we didn't have Christmas, we wouldn't have the retail choices we do now. The money brought in because of Christmas is what keeps retail outlets in business for the rest of the year.
ReplyDeleteSo let the complaint go, it's never going to go away. Yes, Christmas is now a consumer's holiday but so be it. You get to buy gifts for others and receive gifts too. Plus the endless dinners and parties, etc.
As Aunt Liddy said, it's more annoying to need something seasonal late into the season because the stores have moved on.
For me, it's the music that's intolerable. But I also hate most pop music so I'm pretty much always annoyed when I'm in a store.
anita, lol, remind me not to shop with you, lol
ReplyDeleteI may live in Canada but seeing winter clothing and boots out in the middle of Summer (July maybe?) seem utterly ridiculous.
ReplyDeleteApparently, many moms have also purchased costumes for their LO's for Halloween and almost finished their Christmas shopping.
@Curleyhairslacker - you are so right about leaving decorations out!!!! If you're not going to take them down, don't put them up!!!! Makes you look stupid AND lazy! I give people until the Sunday after the Epiphany (January 6) because I know some groups really celebrate the Epiphany. But to see decorations up in July!!! One of my huge pet peeves (I don't care what you do inside your house, just take them down outside!) Sometimes I'm really tempted to leave notes on people's mailboxes.
ReplyDeleteSorry for the rant but that really ticks me off!
I could listen to Christmas music year round. I'm a sucker for that crap. From Bing Crosby, Dolly and Kenny, to Mariah Carey. Oh, and I have an old Lorrie Morgan cassette tape that I ordered on CD from Amazon that I love. Kenny G. too, and then there's the Now That's What I Call Christmas CD with lots of artists.
ReplyDeleteYou do not want to go shopping with me because I sing along.
califblondy, now I hate you.
ReplyDeletehaha
@Califblondy, my dad would've listened to it year round too if it weren't for the fact my mother hid the tapes. My dad loved Christmas! He's in a home now (dementia) and he took over the decorating of the floor's tree last year. Whenever anyone would get off the elevator, he'd grab them and guide them to the tree and brag about it.
ReplyDeleteI worked in retail for years in high school and university so I've only recently learned to love it again.
@SusanB *High five*
ReplyDeleteI dont need the music for 3 months either-the month of December is plenty. I think it's becuase our "winter" is now ice and snow that is muddy after 30 minutes so on Jan 1, I'm ready for Spring! :)
You totally nailed it with weather assesment!
DeleteDon't care about Halloween...but Christmas, they can wait til after December 15th, as I have 2 bdays to deal with first and all the Christmas stuff is overwhelming. The tree goes up on the 17th...then I start to think about shopping! (ps. we own nothing that people stand in line forever for!)
ReplyDeleteOctober for Halloween. After Thanksgiving--AFTER--for Christmas. That's it.
ReplyDeleteI saw Halloween candy out three weeks ago and I did a double take. I think that's the earliest I've ever seen it out.
ReplyDeleteDepends on the type of store: craft stores get the go-ahead for me to display holiday stuff month or two early.
ReplyDeleteGeneral retail: October = Halloweeen. November = Thanksgiving. December = Xmas
I live in Canada, but I don't like seeing Hallowe'en stuff until the end of September-beginning of October.
ReplyDeleteI really feel Xmas stuff should be held back from the store shelves until after Remembrance Day on 11/11 out of respect to Vets.
I'm OK with Halloween stuff starting a little bit now - I love fall, it's my absolute favourite time of the year, followed very closely by winter up until mid January. But I do think that starting the Christmas stuff too early kind of takes away from the holiday a bit - I wouldn't mind if they at least waited until after American Thanksgiving.
ReplyDeleteI hate when Christmas preempts Halloween! I don't mind Halloween stuff in September, but hate Christmas stuff before November. It's like my life is rushing by.
ReplyDeleteHere's something crazy....our Hobby Lobby puts out Christmas items (at least 10 aisles) on... ready for it?.....JULY 3RD!!!
ReplyDeleteIt's 100+ degrees here and I'm always so tempted to start screaming and break all of it. It pisses me off to no end. Sadly, management has admitted they do it b/c they make more money this way.
On the topic of outdoor decorations: it all depends on where you live. When we lived in North Dakota, your outdoor christmas stuff came out in October but wasn't taken down until March. Everything is completely frozen for those months, and you have to wait for the thaw. We made fun of the locals, until we realized THEY were the smart ones.
Depends on what kind of Xmas stuff. I don't mind seeing it at craft stores way early, because like someone mentioned above, I do a lot of crafty things for the holidays and don't want to be scrambling around in November trying to get everything done.
ReplyDeleteXmas decor in windows, though? Sept is WAY too soon. I am fine with it in Nov, but now is crazy. I love seeing all the Halloween stuff now!
put my fall hanging thingy up today; first day of school. pumpkin stuff 10/1.
ReplyDeletei put up christmas starting 11/1. takes about 3 weeks. i have 5 trees (different rooms), and lots of garland & stuff.
parissucks...and to really hate on me...since Kenny G's Christmas stuff is instrumental, I'm the guest soloist on aisle 15 at Wal Mart. LOL.
ReplyDeleteBah rum puh puh pum....
I saw Christmas stuff at Costco here in IA last Friday. The very next day we got a booklet in the mail from Costco which touched on the issue. They said they buy X-Mas stuff and have it out early because:
ReplyDelete-It allows Costco members who have their own biz's to buy stuff and re-sell it before the holidays.
-It allows them to get good prices on stuff (buying early) and also stop selling it before the holidays are over, which eliminates losing $$ from "costly markdowns."
Now i feel like looking at christmas stuff!! Lol
ReplyDeleteHalloween...oct. 1st...
ReplyDeletexmas...nov1st
When I worked at Starbucks, I once had a customer completely lose it on me that the Christmas decorations were out before Remembrance Day (this was in Canada), which is November 11th. Yep, because a lowly barista totally makes up the corporate calendar.
ReplyDeleteI'm one of those crazy nuts who loves decorating tons for holidays, so Halloween decorations go up the day after Labour Day. Christmas decorations go up November 1st since Canadian Thanksgiving is in October.
When I grew up (in the US), it was always kind of hard to figure out the decoration schedule because we wanted the Christmas decorations up more than a month, but Mom LOVED decorating for Thanksgiving. I don't really care when others put up their decorations though.
@anita - that's a lovely story about your father. I would wish dementia on no one, obviously, but how wonderful for him and you that he's finding joy in his current situation. If/when things hit a rough patch, perhaps you could just flip the calendar to November and get out the holiday decorations box.
ReplyDeleteI saw Halloween marshmallow peeps today and took pause, they are my weakness, but I fought off my craving for the moment. Do you know how hard it is to see those things at every single store for the next two months! Grrr! I know most people think they're disgusting - wish I did.
ReplyDeleteHas anyone bought Halloween candy for trick or treaters, ended up eating the contents and had to go out and buy another bag?
Puuuu-leesese!!!!! Who hasnt?? Lol
DeleteI work for a chain of retail card and gift stores and our Halloween went out end of July/Early August and our Christmas started being delivered last Friday--it starts being set up on the sales floor on 9/10.
ReplyDeleteOh but we carry Hallmark and they ship their ornaments in July ...so technically we've had Xmas since about July 4th.
Holiday displays any sooner than a month and a half piss me off! They make me positively stabby!
ReplyDeleteMeg we are worse. We know we will have no trick or treaters but we buy the candy anyway. With backups...
ReplyDeleteI and I think most Australians are always told 1st December so I did some research and this explains why.
ReplyDeleteAs Christmas is a Christian religious celebration the answer to the above question should be "Advent Sunday" which we now know is the fourth Sunday before Christmas and will fall on any of the days from 27 November to 3 December.
There are places that do Christmas year round. I REALLY hate those Christmas stations though! We have one here that goes Christmas from Nov 1 to December 26. Grates my last nerve.
ReplyDelete@ Agent it, thats great! When I say "my peeps" I'm always referring to candy.
ReplyDeleteCHRISTMAS?! jfc already? Henriette, totally! I hate those too... I mean nothing wrong with the holiday spirit but Nov 1? I'm still in candy hangover mode then. At least the station here waits until Thanksgiving to start 24-hour yuletide tunes.
ReplyDelete@car54 I have been covered in glitter and styrofoam for weeks receiving in Xmas mdse! But shit sells out (to retailers) quick and freight deals disappear if you wait to order.
ReplyDeleteI effing hate Transpac. Cheap boxes, cheap packaging, items that have glue strings hanging IF they're not broken.
Spend a few dollars more on shit so this crap will go away, people. I implore you. Sorry if you're a Transpac rep... Hah
@astrogirl, exactly right ! Our "at home" displays started at Advent. Nice memories:)
ReplyDeleteAnita, love the story about your dad...technically, I don't want Halloween in the summer,or Christmas before Halloween, but when you think about the it, that joy is why anyone even puts up decorations
ReplyDeleteThanks Agent, I went humbug for a few years but back to loving the decorations again. :)
ReplyDeleteAutumn stuff can come out after school starts (that's late August here). Halloween stuff can come out after Labor Day. Christmas stuff can come out after Halloween, but of course it comes out FAR too early.
ReplyDeleteAnd I don't EVEN want to hear a Christmas song until after Thanksgiving. Poor Thanksgiving is much maligned, with its cooler sibling Christmas getting all of the attention.
Also, it pisses me off that my town TURNS ON the Christmas lights before Veteran's Day! Oh-no-they-DIDN'T! I HATE that. They can HANG them whenever they'd like, due to cold/bad weather coming and all, but for God's sake, don't turn 'em on until after Thanksgiving.
ReplyDeleteThey do it this year, and I'm calling City Hall. For reals.
I was so excited for our Halloween party last year and my newly made Pinterest crafts, I started decorating in mid-September. I think late August/early September for Halloween. Mid-November for Christmas decorations?
ReplyDeleteI'm more bothered by hearing Christmas music on the radio too early. I don't want to hear that shit until December.