# Department store Christmas decoration sightings thread! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 27, 2008, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/department-store-christmas-decoration-sightings-thread/465467 "2008-09-27T13:51:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Terrifel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c68b51/32.png) [@Terrifel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terrifel)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2008, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/department-store-christmas-decoration-sightings-thread/465467/1 "2008-09-27T13:51:08Z")
Less than 3 months to go! Are they up yet in your area? Since when? Post your earliest sightings here. Year-round Christmas theme stores disqualified, please. ---
**Author:** ![kellner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c2a13f/32.png) [@kellner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kellner)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2008, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/department-store-christmas-decoration-sightings-thread/465467/2 "2008-09-27T13:59:50Z")
I haven’t seen any real decoration so far, but as usual many chain stores started selling christmas stuff on September 1st. ---
**Author:** ![mmouse9799](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@mmouse9799](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mmouse9799)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2008, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/department-store-christmas-decoration-sightings-thread/465467/3 "2008-09-27T14:04:29Z")
The craft stores (Michael’s, A.C. Moore’s) have had stuff out for over a month now. They might get a special qualification though, because, well, they’re craft stores. Theoretically, you need time to make the stuff you buy there. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2008, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/department-store-christmas-decoration-sightings-thread/465467/4 "2008-09-27T14:13:06Z")
I haven’t seen any in this area yet. I’ll check when I’m out this weekend. ---
**Author:** ![flodnak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/838e76/32.png) [@flodnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flodnak)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2008, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/department-store-christmas-decoration-sightings-thread/465467/5 "2008-09-27T14:13:56Z")
No Christmas decorations yet, but our paper yesterday carried an article announcing that one of our big chocolate companies had already shipped their Christmas marzipan products to stores! ---
**Author:** ![Buckler\_of\_Swashing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Buckler\_of\_Swashing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buckler_of_Swashing)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2008, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/department-store-christmas-decoration-sightings-thread/465467/6 "2008-09-27T14:16:59Z")
I looked at this thread before I went out this morning and thought nothing of it. But I must now come back to report that my local department store is selling Christmas trees and, although not yet at the full tinsel-laden glory of December, had a series of signs hanging from the ceiling reminding people to put stuff on lay-by for Christmas, all of which were edged in gold tinsel. It begins. ---
**Author:** ![Shayna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shayna/32/17976_2.png) [@Shayna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shayna)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2008, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/department-store-christmas-decoration-sightings-thread/465467/7 "2008-09-27T14:26:37Z")
Ikea’s got Christmas stuff out already. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2008, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/department-store-christmas-decoration-sightings-thread/465467/8 "2008-09-27T14:29:47Z")
**hides under desk** ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2008, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/department-store-christmas-decoration-sightings-thread/465467/9 "2008-09-27T14:32:22Z")
26 September 2008: Sears in Thunder Bay had a Christmas CD display playing Christmas carols. ---
**Author:** ![lunar\_elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/35a633/32.png) [@lunar\_elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lunar_elf)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2008, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/department-store-christmas-decoration-sightings-thread/465467/10 "2008-09-27T15:03:54Z")
East coast of FL: JoAnn’s - Holiday stuff starting to trickle in as the Halloween stuff gets sold. Almost bought a gingerbread house kit to get started! Saw this about 3 weeks ago. Target - Holiday lights and the smaller yard ornaments were out near the Halloween stuff. (No, no Jack - o - Lantern frosty the snowmen here). ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tof](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@The\_Tof](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tof)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2008, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/department-store-christmas-decoration-sightings-thread/465467/11 "2008-09-27T15:58:16Z")
At Target the other day- amongst the Halloween stuff- was an aisle filled with Christmas stuff. To be honest- it wasn’t really a display as much as it seemed like they wanted to be ready to ditch the Halloween stuff and get the Christmas stuff out asap, so they found somewhere on floor to stow it. But I certainly could have browsed and bought if I wanted. ---
**Author:** ![Terrifel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c68b51/32.png) [@Terrifel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terrifel)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2008, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/department-store-christmas-decoration-sightings-thread/465467/12 "2008-09-27T18:22:43Z")
I probably need to start the thread in July next year for greater accuracy. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2008, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/department-store-christmas-decoration-sightings-thread/465467/13 "2008-09-27T18:33:52Z")
About a month ago, I saw a Christmas tree through the window at a Hallmark store in town. I can’t give you the precise date, though. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2008, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/department-store-christmas-decoration-sightings-thread/465467/14 "2008-09-27T19:07:42Z")
The Consumerist website also follows the early emergence of Christmas decorations. They call it [Christmas Creep](http://consumerist.com/tag/christmas-creep/) ---
**Author:** ![flodnak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/838e76/32.png) [@flodnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flodnak)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2008, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/department-store-christmas-decoration-sightings-thread/465467/15 "2008-09-27T19:21:57Z")
By the way, there are _certain_ displays of Christmas stuff that I’m willing to let slide early - though not necessarily as early as September!:[ul][_]Modest displays of wrapping paper and related items can and probably should be on the sales floor before the deadline for mailing international packages for Christmas delivery - but save the mega displays for later![_]Craft stores obviously have an excuse for having Christmas-related material out early, since crafts take time and if you want to give someone a homemade Christmas decoration as a present (or make one for your own home) you probably can’t wait until after Thanksgiving.A reasonable selection of larger, more expensive Christmas items, like the good artificial trees, may be on sale for families who want to put them on layaway; anything that keeps people from running up excessive credit card debt is a good thing in my book![/ul]However, that’s it. Anything else will get a raspberry from me as I walk by. And even those will get the same treatment if they’re overdone, with tinsel trim or dancing elves or whatever. ---
**Author:** ![C3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/c3/32/3108_2.png) [@C3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C3)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2008, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/department-store-christmas-decoration-sightings-thread/465467/16 "2008-09-27T19:50:19Z")
> [@The\_Tof](#): > > At Target the other day- amongst the Halloween stuff- was an aisle filled with Christmas stuff. To be honest- it wasn’t really a display as much as it seemed like they wanted to be ready to ditch the Halloween stuff and get the Christmas stuff out asap, so they found somewhere on floor to stow it. But I certainly could have browsed and bought if I wanted. I was at Target yesterday and they apparently got their act together, because there was a full-on Christmas display, including decorated trees with the lights on. ---
**Author:** ![kittenblue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ba8739/32.png) [@kittenblue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kittenblue)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2008, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/department-store-christmas-decoration-sightings-thread/465467/17 "2008-09-27T23:28:15Z")
I think we need to differentiate between having Christmas merchandise on display for sale, and having the stores and malls decorated for Christmas. ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2008, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/department-store-christmas-decoration-sightings-thread/465467/18 "2008-09-28T00:16:09Z")
Not that I’ve seen yet. But the October long weekend (next weekend) is usually the point at which they start to appear: spring; warmer weather; people out and about more. ---
**Author:** ![Tamex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ccd318/32.png) [@Tamex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamex)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2008, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/department-store-christmas-decoration-sightings-thread/465467/19 "2008-09-28T03:57:03Z")
A new Herberger’s opened up in a local mall this month, and they already had Christmas stuff on sale–several decorated trees, ornaments, and other decorations. They were all in one area of the store–the rest of the store was not decorated for Christmas yet. ---
**Author:** ![lunar\_elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/35a633/32.png) [@lunar\_elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lunar_elf)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2008, 11:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/department-store-christmas-decoration-sightings-thread/465467/20 "2008-09-28T11:28:05Z")
Add Lowes to the list - They had lights and the giant mechanical lawn ornaments out yesterday when I stopped to go check some things out. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/department-store-christmas-decoration-sightings-thread/465467.md?page=2)