This is exactly what I am talking about and why I really hate what Christmas has become. I saw Christmas items in my local Wal-Mart this year before Halloween.

 

Oh they were there way before then.:lol2:

 

Bottom line is people love Christmas and as soon as you put it out they start buying it. We used to set a small Christmas Mod (just one counter out in the Garden Center) in mid summer around July with out door decorations a few trees and lights and people would buy everything we put out.

 

The consumer has driven this...if it wasn't financially viable to put merchandise out early store wouldn't do it. But most put Christmas in the space where Lawn and Garden merchandise was located and sales on those items drops dramatically after school starts back. The only reason Christmas isn't put out earlier by most companies is that they are waiting to sell out of Lawn and Garden supplies to have space for it.

 

Walmart will have Valentines Candy out (or should) within a week of Christmas, as the last of Christmas candy sells down it replaces it...then on Feb 15th the Easter Candy comes out...no reason to let the counters sit empty in the time between. I give the candy example so that people understand why Christmas goes out early, it's about being efficient and capitalizing on what the customers want. You don't ever want to let counters sit empty, when one season ends you slide the next one right in behind it.

Oh they were there way before then.:lol2:

 

Bottom line is people love Christmas and as soon as you put it out they start buying it. We used to set a small Christmas Mod (just one counter out in the Garden Center) in mid summer around July with out door decorations a few trees and lights and people would buy everything we put out.

 

The consumer has driven this...if it wasn't financially viable to put merchandise out early store wouldn't do it. But most put Christmas in the space where Lawn and Garden merchandise was located and sales on those items drops dramatically after school starts back. The only reason Christmas isn't put out earlier by most companies is that they are waiting to sell out of Lawn and Garden supplies to have space for it.

 

Walmart will have Valentines Candy out (or should) within a week of Christmas, as the last of Christmas candy sells down it replaces it...then on Feb 15th the Easter Candy comes out...no reason to let the counters sit empty in the time between. I give the candy example so that people understand why Christmas goes out early, it's about being efficient and capitalizing on what the customers want. You don't ever want to let counters sit empty, when one season ends you slide the next one right in behind it.

 

I certainly understand that mindset from the retailers point of view.

I guess I just hate how Christmas seems to come earlier and earlier each year. Personally I don't buy any Christmas related items until after Thanksgiving. However, I have found a weakness for one product for which this year I have already made an exception on a couple of occasions.

 

This is my weakness...I'll buy them as soon as they come out.

 

This is my weakness...I'll buy them as soon as they come out.

 

 

Already crushed one box!

This is my weakness...I'll buy them as soon as they come out.

 

Already out. Had a box.

I'll probably end up out somewhere. It's not a big deal IMO. We'll do all the family stuff, then when it's all done (probably 8:30-9 pm) we'll hit up a few places. We'd simply be going home otherwise. This will allow us to not have to deal with the craziness that comes with Friday. :idunno:

I don't shop on Black Friday, or Thanksgiving, normally. But this year I need a washer and dryer, so I'll be shopping one of those days, most likely.

 

I honestly don't have a problem with the stores being open. Being in the hotel business, we're a 24/7 business. There's no day we shut down for anything. And frankly, I get why people hate the idea of retail stores being open, but that's the nature of the job. If you don't like the possibility of working holidays, or weekends, etc, then retail isn't for you (and neither is the hotel business, or hospitals).

 

One thing my family always did was have a celebration on another day. In reality, the holidays are hard for a lot of people to hold to one tradition anyway. It's bad enough switching off years if you have family spread out and you can't hit them all in one day. It's even worse when people's work schedules interfere. My dad always worked the holidays because it was time and a half. We started doing Christmas on Christmas Eve. Once I was divorced, I had the kids for Christmas Eve, my ex for Christmas Day. I started celebrating Christmas in January with my kids, because it was too hard to try and squeeze in my own Christmas with them, then go to my family, then get them delivered to their Dad's by midnight. Now, because of work schedules and the increased likelihood of bad weather, my family celebrates Christmas and Thanksgiving at the same time, about 2 weeks before Thanksgiving. It's one less stress to have to contend with in the hectic holiday season.

I get that. Plus, those that come to gamble are probably in a similar situation. But the gambling places aren't enticing people out of their homes with "door busters" and " must have items."

I know it is old fashioned, but I liked it when all the stores were closed and the bargains started the next day.

 

Thanksgiving Day slot tournaments....

I guess I just hate how Christmas seems to come earlier and earlier each year. Personally I don't buy any Christmas related items until after Thanksgiving. However, I have found a weakness for one product for which this year I have already made an exception on a couple of occasions.

 

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Oh my! I have never seen THAT before! It looks goooood! I am going to have to find me some!

Maybe I should recant my opinion in whole. I will be headed to the theater Thursday night to see Creed. I suppose it's unfortunate for the acne-laden lads behind the counter who have to butter my bride's bushel of popcorn and retrieve my junior mints. It appears my hypocrisy knows no bounds.

As was mentioned, this is all consumer driven. I worked in retail for 17 years. And the customers demanded more hours and every year Wed have people begging to get in early or for you to stay late (even on Christmas Eve).

 

I'm not sure why people get do upset with the early release of Christmas stuff. Every Holiday has merchandise put out early, and Christmas is more noticeable because it's the biggest and longest season. There's no difference in Christmas stuff going out in October than Halloween stuff coming out in August, or Easter coming out in Late January. Each major holiday gets a 60-90 day selling season.

A senior student of mine that works at a local Wal-mart told me that he and his co-workers were shown a video and given a taser for crowd control on Black Friday. I thought surely that he couldn't be telling the truth, but he swears to it. Seems like a lawsuit waiting to happen to me.

A senior student of mine that works at a local Wal-mart told me that he and his co-workers were shown a video and given a taser for crowd control on Black Friday. I thought surely that he couldn't be telling the truth, but he swears to it. Seems like a lawsuit waiting to happen to me.

 

Ummm yeah that's not happening...over eager imagination at work. They may have seen a video of stores from various companies going crazy on Black Friday but the only Tasers in Walmart will be carried by police officers.

I saw that Meijers has a sale starting 6 a.m. Thursday morning!!!