Yep, it is that time of the year again. Pull out those credit cards you had stashed in the freezer for emergencies – it is Christmas shopping season! I haven’t been shopping much at the big stores lately, so don’t know if this is the first spotting of Christmasness, but it is for me. Two aisles so far at Interstate Fred Meyer. It is kinda mixed in with the Halloween items and a few Easter pieces for show.
I begin to wonder if our great benevolent mega chain stores read the Wall St. Journal or listen to the news. We’re in a huge financial crisis in this country and people are losing their houses left and right. What do they do? “Hey, buy more crap early, store it, and then forget about it when you need it and buy more.” Also, the news keeps saying this will be a bad holiday for retailers due to the economy. Good!
When will they learn?
Full disclosure: I actually pondered buying the cute Chihuahua with a red hat ornament, but fought the urge.
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I would just once like to enjoy the Halloween season in its entirety before seeing Christmas stuff.
I have found a stangley satisfying solution, especially when shopping on line. I go entriely to the end of all the ‘fill in the blanks’ but before I hit ‘process you order’ (particularly if I am a bit ambivalent about the purchase)I cancell it. It satifies whatever is going on in my brain convincing me that I need my shopping fix, without shoppping.
For as progressive Portland thinks it is, its a a big consumer culture and if I requires any real sacrifice or effort, we can count ourseves out. We are some of the biggest hypocrites of all, mostly because we know better.
I hope you’ll snag that Chihuahua when it’s 75% off…
Of course the chain stores read the news. Why do you think this stuff is out now? So you’ll buy it before you realize your 401K is dust. If you’re scared about the economy, they have to quaking in their boots about the prospects for this year’s Christmas season.
Sept. 22 is incredibly early, even for chain stores. They usually wait until mid October. Of course, a few years ago, they waited until the day after Halloween. And I’m old enough to remember when they waited until the Friday after Thanksgiving.
I’d prefer we’d return to that. I like holidays and I like being with them in the moment — rather than skipping ahead to the next one….
@Talea – You know one thing I just remembered? Since they do bring out all this stuff so early, it is usually set to 40-60% off by the Friday after Turkey day if you are out shopping. We usually hit the stores the following weekend to stock up for the following year.
I agree though, way way to early.
I remember a few years back when I started seeing Valentine’s Day candy out before Christmas. It’s just insane.
That said, I’m glad Halloween candy is out because I’m hooked on the dark chocolate Twix bars and they only sell them in the fall.
So instead you have to be the first guy to mention christmas on here?! You fell for their ploy!!
*winks*
I know what you mean! When I walked into Fred Meyer last week and saw the christmas aisles set up right along side the halloween ones, I thought…REALLY!? Is it because you didn’t know what to do with the back to school space you no longer needed?
I fear that one day we’ll have a christmas aisle permanently. FOREVER!
Maybe I should just keep my halloween stuff up for christmas… you know… fight the man! or whatever…
I hate to toot my own horn too much, but *I* mentioned Christmas about ten days ago on here. And you know what? I already got my first present! Thanks to reader Morty, the real Santa Claus, I get to go to Metallica! (Neener neener neener…)
Since the Metallica show is the day after Halloween, I won’t be violating too many Xmas traditions…
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