Christmas in Novemeber

[Boozy]

I can't speak for everyone, but the three retail stores I've worked for in my life set up their Christmas displays in early November, immediately following Halloween. If we didn't get it done early, it would never get done, because we were absolutely slammed starting in mid-November. If we wanted to avoid hiring too much temp help in the middle of the season, we had to use the existing staff's time wisely, and they had more of it before the shoppers started coming out in droves.

Space was another consideration. We would have to order Christmas stock in July and often received it in September. It would just sit there in the stock room, more and more stuff coming in, until we'd have no choice but to put it out onto the sales floor.

I don't know if setting up Christmas displays early increased sales or not, but tht was never really my concern. It was always a practical consideration.

[Lace Neil Singer]

Mid November doesn't bother me the way that September Christmas crap does. I mean, in September, summer's only just over so it's not like we're even thinking about Christmas. All it does is make me hate Christmas. -.-

Tho, I am proud to have ruined Christmas for a few SCs. XD That's a bonus.

[jackfaire]

If early Christmas bothers you then start avoiding Costco in August. I swear they put out Christmas stuff that early every year. Not in their decorating scheme but they will already be selling stuff for that holiday season.

But then I mean Santa does come in bulk

[Greenday]

Crap, spoke too soon. Christmas trees were up yesterday at the PX.

[Ree]

The Christmas stuff is in the stores because the customers, despite whining to the contrary, are asking for it.

I had a lady 3 weeks ago, which means in early October, bitch at me because we had no Christmas stuff out yet.
She apparently thought I would scramble to get it out on the sales floor when she pointed out that our competitor down the road had their Christmas stuff out in September.

They had theirs out early because Costco had theirs out in August.

The thing is, as I said, people are bitching about it being out so early, but they're still buying it.

Maybe if people would refuse to buy the stuff until a more seasonable time, retailers would put Christmas back in December where it belongs.

We were just starting on Friday to get the Christmas tree displays set up, but our manager refuses to turn on the Christmas lights in our store until after November 11, which is Remembrance Day in our country.

[Lace Neil Singer]

Speaking of Remembrance Day; I was working one year on that day and someone was yapping on their mobile during the two minute silence.

Well, they were til someone next to them shut them up.

Back on topic, there's a shop in London that sells Christmas crap all year round. O_o

http://www.thechristmasshop.co.uk/

You'd have to really really really love Christmas to work there. XD

[Iseeyouthere]

I may have been too young to remember... or I just suck at remembering things... but I can't recall seeing Christmas things being out so early.
When it got closer to December, like say, the 22nd... I started to see faint glimmers.
But I don't recall seeing the shops being flooded with trees and decorations until it closer to Christmas.

This may be a recent thing... I cant rememeber.

[Rageaholic]

I was actually happy to see a Christmas tree/display at the grocery store today. It's starting to get rather cold, chilly, and dreary, and it was a nice pick-me-up.

Glad I'm not alone there.

[blas87]

I don't mind some holiday decor, like scented candles that smell like apple or pumpkin pie.

I do hate that there's already Christmas decorations up and Santa coming to the mall soon.

That and all the deer hunters are bellyaching for snow. You don't NEED snow to be able to see a deer in the woods. If you can't see a deer, there aren't any, or you need glasses. I see them just fine all over the road and around wooded areas.

Off topic, but everyone bellyaching for snow is making me ill. Shut the hell up already. I'm sure another 22 inch blizzard is well on its way. Then they'll be bitching that it's taking too long to groom the snowmobile or ski trails. Wahhh wahhh wahh.

[AdminAssistant]

Yeah, the hunters in AR have no problems bagging their limits of deer without snow.

[Lace Neil Singer]

I don't really care if it snows this year, cuz now I live close to work I'll be able to get in, no worries. My only concern is that it would be bedlam at work, with a skeleton staff and customers charging in to panic buy shitloads of bread and milk. And petrol. Honestly, why the hell do you need to fill your car up to the brim with petrol when, thanks to England never being prepared for the white stuff, all the roads are blocked and you can't fucking well go anywhere?

[HYHYBT]

Other than the same "the stores might close, better buy the basics whether I actually need them or not" reason as the bread and milk, I can think of one other possible reason for some people: if your power tends to go out when it snows, and if your heat does not work without electricity, if all else fails you can keep warm in the car. There are also, if I remember rightly, kits to make your car's engine work as an emergency generator for a house.

Though as much more as the stuff costs when it's called "petrol" instead of "gasoline," it certainly would be a last choice.

[bhskittykatt]

For me the Christmas season starts November first and doesn't end until a few weeks into January. People who don't agree are welcome to keep their distance, as I understand that not everybody is as festive as I am and that I do tend to grate on people's nerves.

I'm always so happy when the decorations go up early and stay up. Although in the past I have been able to decide not to dislike something anymore* it's not easy to do for something as big as that.


(*You can "not dislike" something without actively liking it, and yes, it IS possible but it takes a lot of effort and usually isn't worth it.)

You're not the only one. We got a bit lazy this year, but we normally put our Christmas decorations up Nov 1st.

Labor day - Halloween decorations start going up.
Halloween - Candy, yay!
Nov 1st - Christmas decorations start to go up (unless I get lazy)
We have Turkey Day
We usually do latkes for Hannukah if I remember, and something small for Solstice too.
Christmas day - Yay!
Then the decorations stay up for the FULL 12 days of Christmas, culminating on Jan 6th, where we celebrate Armenian Christmas with baklava and take down the decorations (it is considered bad luck to leave them up past the 12th Day)

That's how we roll at our place. You don't have to like it. We like it, and that's how we do it, so nya!

[XCashier]

But I just hate seeing all these Christmas decorations hanging up, trees everywhere, snowflakes on windows (side note/rant: WE LIVE IN AUSTRALIA! WE DON'T HAVE SNOW AT THIS TIME OF YEAR! IT IS SUMMER! Stop trying to sell us wool santa suits, hot food and snow things! Dickheads...).

I understand what you mean. I'm originally from Phoenix, Arizona. It doesn't snow there during Christmas, either; the temperatures are usually around 65-80 degrees. Not quite what most of the world considers Christmas weather. And Christmas lights on cacti, while pretty, you'll never see in a Currier & Ives print.

Just out of curiosity, what holidays do you folks celebrate during midwinter?

To me, ideally, Christmas would still have a two-month buildup, but shifted a month later. The decorations cheer up what is otherwise the dreariest season, winter...

I like this idea! Christmas should be in January. Seriously, the long stretch between Christmas and Spring just seems to go on forever.

[blas87]

I don't know why I didn't do this years ago, to kind of push aside harsh feelings towards snow and cold.

I was never even that big on candles, until I found I could buy candles in the scents of my favorite holiday pies and desserts and a few pleasant winter smells (like pine trees) and make my apartment smell like Grandma's house and my mom's kitchen during holiday baking season.

And screw the lease rules. These candles make me hate this time of year less. And that's what I needed.