Christmas Area Staged at Home Depot

[Rich Riddle]

Went to the Depot and found the Christmas area in full swing with the darned music blaring. Isn't it too early to start? Didn't retailers used to wait until after Thanksgiving? Bah Humbug. Who buys a Christmas tree in October?

[Mike Lassiter]

local Hobby Lobby had all their Christmas items out last month, trees, ornaments, lights, stockings and all. And they had their Halloween stuff out too.

Everybody's in a hurry. Rush, rush, and for what? No time to enjoy living because we're in too big a hurry to get to the next thing, place, or whatever. And one day you realize you ran and rushed all your life and you never "arrived".

[David Weaver]

Marketers have created one obligation for us after another, from gift giving requirements to card holidays, etc. I don't remember when Sams started putting stuff out, but I thought they were always early. It's in a section of the store I don't visit much, though (as in not food and not clothes), but I think they are notorious for trotting out a bit of Christmas stuff early.

A store here called Pool City puts stuff out pretty early, too.

[Dave Lehnert]

I worked in retail for over 20 years. Would hear the same thing year after year.
Once the summer patio furniture is clearance out, what do you do with that empty space? Fill it with the next season merchandise. What good does it do to have stock piled up in the back room. If you don't bring stock to the store, the store runs the risk of another retailer buying it out from under you.
Customers put their stuff in Layaway. They get what they need and paid in full when they take it out. (This is "Who buys Christmas trees in October")
Thanksgiving weekend is the biggest decorating/ selling weekend for Christmas goods. That's only 5 weekends away.

[Kevin Bourque]

Easter is right around the corner...

[Rich Riddle]

That's only 5 weekends away.

Mr. Kill Joy

[Bert Kemp]

its gotten so commercialized that I don't even bother with holidays anymore. theres no fun in it. Just a gimmick to take your money.
No ghost hanging on my porch,no candy in a bowl, no turkey in the oven, no Christmas tree in my house,no punch bowl on new years eve, no flowers and cards in February, no colored eggs in my yard.
I wear Red White & Blue and celebrate, Memorial Day, Independence Day and Veterans Day .

[Jason Roehl]

...what do you do with that empty space?

Fill it with useful goods instead of a bunch of plastic junk that will just clog the landfills?

I saw Christmas decorations in Sam's Club at the end of August this year. Not much, just a small display, but it was there. My wife knows someone who just put their Christmas tree up this past weekend, and they have been known to leave it up until June. I'm in the camp of 12/1 - 1/31, though my wife usually doesn't leave it up until the end of January--it's down shortly after New Year's.

[Rod Sheridan]

Went to the Depot and found the Christmas area in full swing with the darned music blaring. Isn't it too early to start? Didn't retailers used to wait until after Thanksgiving? Bah Humbug. Who buys a Christmas tree in October?

Pssssssst Rich..............It's past Thanksgiving already............At least here.

I know what you mean, I was in RONA last week and the Christmas stuff is going up before Halloween...........Rod.

[Curt Harms]

Marketers have created one obligation for us after another, from gift giving requirements to card holidays, etc. I don't remember when Sams started putting stuff out, but I thought they were always early. It's in a section of the store I don't visit much, though (as in not food and not clothes), but I think they are notorious for trotting out a bit of Christmas stuff early.

A store here called Pool City puts stuff out pretty early, too.

There's a Christmas section started in a local Walmart as of a few days ago. It does seem like the Xmas hype (there appears to be little Christmas to it) starts earlier each year. When I'm in a particularly ranty mood I think to myself that maybe 'they' could just start the Xmas hype on July 5th AND LEAVE IT THERE!

[John Bullock]

I find it interesting that everyone seems to complain about pre-Christmas sales, but so few of those people actually show up in church to celebrate the true meaning of the holiday. I might be more inclined to respond to those that complain, if they actually expressed some feeling toward what the marketing people have come to have this holiday represent.

Those of you that are Christian might want to stop for a moment and think about what this holiday represents and think about going to church for this holiday.

For all of those, who may not be Christians we reach out in love and respect for you beliefs, and wish you a joyous Christmas season in the name of the God we love and respect.

For those of you, who do not have a belief in a divine creator, we wish you peace and happiness, which truly is not outside the limits of any of our beliefs, whether Hindu, Budhist, atheist or any other belief system.

As for myself, Merry Christmas and God bless you all.

[Brian Elfert]

A few years back we stopped at a Home Depot around Sept 20th and they had Christmas lights for sale already. My parents don't put up their tree until the Saturday before and leave it up through mid January.