Countdown to Christmas!

[Tailya Thistledown]

Okay.. it's waaay off yet.

But work just got in the first lot of Christmas related stuff on Thursday and it was up on the shelves that evening. Shortbread and other biscuit sorts of things that last forever.
I work in a supermarket, so like, yeah.

Personally I think that's -way- early to be bringing in that sort of stuff. We're not even at the end of August, like yeesh. It's not much, but it's still there, sitting near the entrance to the store staring at people as they come in.

Anyways!

Wondering if anyone else has seen the first signs of Christmas stuff appearing in shops and what they think of the matter?

I know other countries have like, other important dates that crop up before. But currently I can't really think of anything here in Australia that's made a big deal of between now and Christmas to discourage the marketing monster.

So yes, opinions and what not!

[Artifex Felicis]

In terms of important holidays, there's Halloween and Thanksgiving in Boston. Though it's Halloween that is the real kicker. All of that stuff would come up first before the Christmas stuff. I remember reading that's where Tim Burton got his idea for "Nightmare Before Christmas." Taking the Halloween stuff down and putting the Christmas stuff up.

That and my Birthday, which is also October 30th and one of the most fun days of the year in Salem.

[The Emerald Hind]

My step-daughter brought home one of those school fundraiser packets with three catalogs devoted to Christmas and other winter holidays. Now the school is pretty much forcing her to sell at least twelve of these holiday items before the end of the month...

It aggrevates me that each year Christmas items are being sold earlier than the year before. It's not because of my religious views or anything like that, but because I hate walking into the store in the middle of August to pick up sunblock or pool toys for my step-daughter and one aisle over they have the animated Santas and the light-up reindeer. I get so sick of Christmas songs playing for months and months that by the end of November I want to hit the next person who is so unfortunate as to hum "Here Comes Santa Claus" within my hearing. And the people who celebrate Christmas are so desensitized by it all that when the holiday finally rolls around it just doesn't mean anything to them except a lot of fallen pine needles from a dead tree and bits of wrapping you'll find underneath your couch for weeks after. Not to mention a much slimmer wallet.

It's lost its purpose for a lot of folks. Pretty soon, Christmas items will be sold year round in most stores. Actually, there is a Christmas store that's opened all year in just the next city over... It's insane... o_o;

Not only that, but Halloween and Thanksgiving both get pretty much ignored where I am—well, up until the last few weeks right before both holidays—and those are the only two holidays I celebrate. At least they aren't as over marketed as the "winter holidays" (although, they remain victims of such), but it just irks me that they are obscured by all that shiny tinsel and holly wreaths.

[AdventWings]

Meh, I could care less about all these "Early Stock-Up" things.

Not that I don't care about the seasonal holiday, anyways. It's an Asian Buddhist-Dominant Country's thing, methinks. ;)

But I feel pretty bad for Christmas. It's so commercialized it's hard to see the truth underneath all that glittery gift wraps and shiny plastic shells.

And not to ignore the main objective at hand... No signs of Christmas yet. :D Not until the end of October, anyways. Christmas also happens to be Midterms Week for college students here, as well. Oy. *groans*

[Varia]

You would care about the "Early Stock-Up" things if you had the job that I just quit.


I worked at an arts and crafts store. Good god. We had three seasons. "Summer camp" which means a million cheap foam projects, pom-poms and Crayola galore. "Fall Floral" which is when the entire store turns into a festival of rusted browns, burnt oranges and red. After that is "Christmas". Christmas lasts half the year. Before Autumn even starts, Christmas has rolled in throwing glitter all over the floor (and me) and everything sings, lights up and annoys the crap out of you. Last year we carried these three little snow men that when you pushed their hand, they danced and sang "Let it Snow" at deafening levels. It became a huge offense in the store to leave it turned on.

It's really frustrating when you're so assaulted with Christmas from August until December, that when December finally hits you've had enough. You're covered head to toe in glitter, and if anyone dare mentions that "C" word you scowl. I realize it's a huge money-making opportunity.. But it's getting to the point where I've heard a million customers mouth my same question. "They're putting up Christmas now? Halloween hasn't even come yet!"

[Thoracis]

It's pretty much like that in any retail store. When I worked at Sears we generally started getting Christmas stuff up around October 1. I don't know if that will be the case this year, but I imagine not much has changed in that hole.

I work at Lowe's now and believe it or not the seasonal resets are even further in advance. On August 10 we had all of our air conditioners and fans stacked up and marked down and in their place we put heaters and fireplaces. On August 10. Log splitters and snowblowers are already out too. Christmas trees are in the back but not out on the floor yet.

It's the way of the retail world... every season comes 3 months in advance.

[AdventWings]

Further proof that Global Warming is real.

...What? I'm serious. Can't you see my serious face? *Fails miserably at trying to make a serious face*

:p

[BlackAndBlueEyes]

I work in the electronics department of my store, so the only signs I get that Christmas is coming is that all the LCD t.v.'s start flying off the shelves faster.

[Moonlit Raven]

You guys are making me feel horrible. I've always started singing Christmas carols around June/July. I've been doing that since I was I think eight years old. I do draw the line at decorations though. those should be put up after Dec. 1 only.

People that are too lazy to take down their outdoor Christmas lights annoy the hell out of me. If you are too lazy to take them down then don't put them up!

[Slayer of the Rot]

I'm pumped for Halloween. It's going to be an awesome year, and it's easily the favorite holiday amongst my group of friends. Fake blood and zombies, hell yeah!

On the other end of the scale, I really dislike Christmas and pretty much all the holidays in the spring and winter seasons. I barely celebrate them.

[Tailya Thistledown]

Hmn. I have a habit of singing Christmas songs randomly all year.. along with other random stupid songs. But yeah.

And I have to say. Despite working in a supermarket with oh so much Christmas stuff going up to Christmas last year.. There was like one or two songs I heard and I was disappointed to not hear any. Like, pretty much -none- of the stores I went into last year had them.. though yeah, I can understand getting miffed at them playing 24. Which is probably why they don't do it at my work place. Ah well.

[Call me J]

I always hate the christmas decorations because sometime in Mid October I'll go to the store and flip out because I suddenly think its late november and the term is almost up.