# Why the head start on the Xmas shopping season? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 9, 2006, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-head-start-on-the-xmas-shopping-season/379736 "2006-11-09T18:14:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![The\_Octagon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5f9b8f/32.png) [@The\_Octagon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Octagon)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2006, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-head-start-on-the-xmas-shopping-season/379736/1 "2006-11-09T18:14:52Z")
It’s early November. The stores are decorated already, and Old Navy was playing “It’s the most wonderful time of the year” amongst other holiday music when I was shopping there yesterday. Christmas themed ads are already running. Halloween just passed. The polar bear Coke cans are on the shelves. In my experience, this generally doesn’t start until AFTER Thanksgiving, or at least the week of. What’s the deal? ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2006, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-head-start-on-the-xmas-shopping-season/379736/2 "2006-11-09T18:25:05Z")
Your experience is wrong or else thirty years old. Christmas season starts early because Christmas sells goods. It’s been like this for years if not decades. And oddly enough every single year people write in to newspapers or now online wondering or complaining about Christmas starting early. Are everybody’s memories really that short? ---
**Author:** ![FatBaldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecd19e/32.png) [@FatBaldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FatBaldGuy)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2006, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-head-start-on-the-xmas-shopping-season/379736/3 "2006-11-09T18:26:02Z")
Which cave have you been hiding in? It’s been starting way before Thanksgiving for years now. The answer to your question? Money. ---
**Author:** ![MrSquishy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b9e5f3/32.png) [@MrSquishy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrSquishy)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2006, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-head-start-on-the-xmas-shopping-season/379736/4 "2006-11-09T19:10:39Z")
[QUOTE=Exapno Mapcase] Your experience is wrong or else thirty years old. Christmas season starts early because Christmas sells goods. It’s been like this for years if not decades. And oddly enough every single year people write in to newspapers or now online wondering or complaining about Christmas starting early. Are everybody’s memories really that short? [/QUOTE] Yeah, they just did that in the newspaper here. A story about Christmas shopping starting “already”, and about 20 random shoppers’ opinions about it (unanimously negative). I think the people that have a problem with it are old fuddy-duddies who think that Christmas still has something to do with Jesus. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![gazpacho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6f9a4e/32.png) [@gazpacho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gazpacho)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2006, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-head-start-on-the-xmas-shopping-season/379736/5 "2006-11-09T19:26:57Z")
[QUOTE=Exapno Mapcase] Your experience is wrong or else thirty years old. [/QUOTE] 30? Charlie Brown was complaining about this on national TV 41 years ago. ---
**Author:** ![Missy2U](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@Missy2U](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Missy2U)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2006, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-head-start-on-the-xmas-shopping-season/379736/6 "2006-11-09T19:28:12Z")
I believe it’s 93.9 - WLIT - that’s already playing Christmas music 24/7. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2006, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-head-start-on-the-xmas-shopping-season/379736/7 "2006-11-09T19:44:14Z")
That’s nothing! i’m already getting my St. Patrick’s day stuff out! and Mother’s day isn’t far behind! ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2006, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-head-start-on-the-xmas-shopping-season/379736/8 "2006-11-09T20:10:18Z")
Department stores (like Target) usually have a large seasonal section that they like to keep full. September/October it is usually filled with Halloween stuff. Come November 1st the only logical next season is Christmas. It’s been like this as long as I can remember. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2006, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-head-start-on-the-xmas-shopping-season/379736/9 "2006-11-09T21:49:17Z")
Starting when I was in Jr. High school (the mid 1970’s) my friends and I would have a competition to see who would notice the first Christmas commercial on TV. It was typically in late August. It remains so today. At home I have a book of Peanuts (Charlie Brown) cartoons from the 1950’s. There is one that takes place right before Halloween where Charlie is complaining that he went to buy a costume but the stores were all out and were busy putting up Christmas decorations. This has been going on since before you were alive. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2006, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-head-start-on-the-xmas-shopping-season/379736/10 "2006-11-09T21:51:01Z")
[QUOTE=Missy2U] I believe it’s 93.9 - WLIT - that’s already playing Christmas music 24/7. :rolleyes: [/QUOTE] They started on November 1st, even. ☹ I think it was Sam’s Club (the Walmart warehouse club) that had Christmas cards prominently displayed in August. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Octagon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5f9b8f/32.png) [@The\_Octagon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Octagon)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2006, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-head-start-on-the-xmas-shopping-season/379736/11 "2006-11-09T22:39:53Z")
All right, I guess I’m in the Twilight Zone, or I haven’t been out shopping or watched television the past few Novembers. I still swear they give us a couple more weeks. ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2006, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-head-start-on-the-xmas-shopping-season/379736/12 "2006-11-10T00:34:52Z")
hallmark has ornaments out in stores in june. ---
**Author:** ![MrDantastic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b487fb/32.png) [@MrDantastic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDantastic)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2006, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-head-start-on-the-xmas-shopping-season/379736/13 "2006-11-10T02:58:48Z")
In the Wal-Mart by me, the Halloween stuff doesn’t even make it until the 31st. Usually around the 28-29th they take it all down and start putting up christmas stuff in the seasonal rows, in addition to whatever else they have out elsewhere. ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2006, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-head-start-on-the-xmas-shopping-season/379736/14 "2006-11-10T03:29:21Z")
That’s nothing. Fer chrissakes, we had reports of Easter goods on the shelves - hot cross buns - a _month_ ago! ---
**Author:** ![Baffle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/dec6dc/32.png) [@Baffle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baffle)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2006, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-head-start-on-the-xmas-shopping-season/379736/15 "2006-11-10T03:32:31Z")
There is very little in the world I loathe more than Christmas music. Here’s a General Question for you: why am I forced to listen to this tripe for two months straight every time I go outside? ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2006, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-head-start-on-the-xmas-shopping-season/379736/16 "2006-11-10T17:58:05Z")
[QUOTE=Missy2U] I believe it’s 93.9 - WLIT - that’s already playing Christmas music 24/7. :rolleyes: [/QUOTE] Oh God. Our equivalent (92.3) only starts Thanksgiving Day. ---
**Author:** ![ChiMagnet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a3d4f5/32.png) [@ChiMagnet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChiMagnet)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2006, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-head-start-on-the-xmas-shopping-season/379736/17 "2006-11-12T17:59:10Z")
[QUOTE=Missy2U] I believe it’s 93.9 - WLIT - that’s already playing Christmas music 24/7. :rolleyes: [/QUOTE] I think this is proof that it isn’t all about money. Oh certainly a lot of it is. Stores hope you will spend more, and some people do, but the real shoppers are still waiting out for the last minute till the stores mark everything down. The fact is we LIKE Christmas. Let’s face it, most of us are not as happy as we’d like to be. And even those people who have less than favorable memories of Christmas know it is the one time of year we can have hope. We can be happy. My world is filled with negative people constantly putting down anyone who’d dare to dredge up any hint that they could be anything but miserable. We can give money to the Salvation Army or even the homeless, because deep inside we want to help people, and we don’t feel the need to negate the giving with the curse, “Stupid homeless person, why can’t these people get a job?” We can give them money because it’s Christmas, we want to and it’s a nice thing to do. I think deep inside people LIKE Christmas. There’s a hustle in people’s step but it’s not the same as other times. Peolple will actually say “Pardon Me,” if they bump into you. They say “Merry Christmas,” to people they don’t know and OK they don’t mean it but they communicate. Most of us with our emails and cell phones and answer phones don’t realize how much communication is done WITHOUT actually talking to anyone. We like that face to face stuff. And let’s face it we must be important if someone takes the time to say “Merry Christmas” to us, even though we know we’re not, it still feels like it. So let the Christmas carols play on WLIT and other stations, obviously there is a market for it, and instead of complaining about Christmas as we all do let’s this year enjoy it. Becaue you all know you really want to. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2006, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-head-start-on-the-xmas-shopping-season/379736/18 "2006-11-12T18:15:30Z")
Think what you like, but the only reason that stations and stores pump out Christmas this early is money. Just because you like Christmas does not mean that everybody does. Curse you and everybody else who acts as an enabler for this nonsense. ---
**Author:** ![Absolute](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b2d939/32.png) [@Absolute](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Absolute)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2006, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-head-start-on-the-xmas-shopping-season/379736/19 "2006-11-12T18:57:20Z")
**ChiMagment** , I love Christmas too, but extending the season into the beginning of November cheapens it. It stops being special if you start seeing the decorations, hearing carols, and getting into the spirit three months early: that’s a quarter of the entire year! To me, Christmas season starts on December 1, and it’s better that way. The longer the season gets, the less meaning it has. ---
**Author:** ![Lips\_Obsession](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/bbce88/32.png) [@Lips\_Obsession](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lips_Obsession)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2006, 10:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-head-start-on-the-xmas-shopping-season/379736/20 "2006-11-13T10:20:17Z")
I noticed a neighbor has their Christmas lights up and lit last night. These weren’t lights that they forgot to take down from last year either… Ugggh!!! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-head-start-on-the-xmas-shopping-season/379736.md?page=2)