Already?!?!?! No Way!!!

NO, you're NOT the only one bothered by it. In fact, frankly, it pisses me off! Whatever happened to waiting until a holiday had passed before seeing items for the next holiday???!!!

Halloween in August is still a big stretch (even for me who LOVES fall and Halloween!!!), but I guess maybe there aren't many people who decorate for Labor Day? Still, I've noticed everything's been coming out earlier and earlier each year, and next thing you know, we'll be seeing Christmas in July!

I actually love to look at all the halloween and fall stuff. I hate summer like you wouldn't imagine, so I really look forward to the store having stuff like that because it makes me feel like the end of the horrid hot weather is near. Also this year will be my first "real" fall so I am very excited about it becuase in CA it's still 80 degrees on halloween and 70 in November and maybe if we are lucky, 60 in December. Oh, I can't wait for it to snow again!!

Were they dressed in santa garb too?? Haha! I was at the Dollar Tree the other day, and they had some Halloween & Thanksgiving stuff too, I actually walked by the Halloween stuff and had to do a double take! I was like, "WHAT?!" It made me feel like I didn't know what month it was, like when you forget what day it is sometimes. It was a weird feeling! I really don't understand why they do it either (I can't imagine people are really buying so early), it's actually kind of depressing because we don't get to enjoy the moments that we are in, they are always rushing us to the next holiday!

CHRISTMAS STUFF OUT ALREADY?!

This is beyond ridiculous. Why wait? Why not just leave the stuff up all year?! Because if ever there were a way to make Christmas look like a stupid commercial dollar chase, this is it. Let's go buy some Nativity Scenes that the government will forbid us from displaying in our yards now too. Geeze. Yes. I'm bothered by it. When I was coming up, "Christmas in July" meant a used car lot somewhere was having a bargain sale. ****sizzle*****

The almighty dollar dictates these things. Sad, but true.

I can understand Craft Stores because people need to get to makin on their crafts but regular retail stores!?! Stay in back to school mode please.

I saw Halloween stuff out today too, but it was at the craft store and I give them slack b/c I generally start my fall/Christmas stuff in August. It's way too early for regular stores to have that stuff out!!

k

I think it is RIDICULOUS!!!!! I went shopping for back to school clothes and found myself in front of Halloween costumes! It is sad how the stores put all the stuff out so early. I feel it takes some of the meaning away!

that would totally bewilder me...but i haven't seen it here. places like Hobby Lobby are getting ready, but it's not too crazy yet. i give it a couple more weeks though...

Mrs. lavallie- I saw winter coats at The Children's Place yesterday (in Ohio).
I'm in the minority here, but I LOVE seeing the fall/Halloween decorations out! I'm so ready for fall and the nice cool weather and it makes me feel like there is an end to all this heat in sight. Plus, Halloween is my FAVORITE holiday! Two of my kids and I already have our costumes. I haven't seen any Christmas stuff out (except at Michael's).

Halloween stuff doesn't irk me just because it is 2 months from now and I love Halloween and need to find Halloween stuff for my daughter's bday party, sometimes the best deals are 1-2 months ahead of time, but the thanksgiving is kinda strange. It takes away from the meaning of the holidays, especially when they are featured at the same time.
I get so bugged when I can't find shorts in March/April when it gets hot here b/c it's not hot on average or I can't find pants in the summer when I want to go hiking or something or my biggest one is it's so hard to find tshirt/short pjs in the winter... I turn my heat on in the winter so my daughter still wears tshirt/shorts in the winter in the house, I guess I don't get the pj shift just b/c of the outside weather. Lol, sorry now I'm on a rant, but I totally get the bugged thing and I don't get the Christmas in July, so strange :D

I don't get it either, the first week of JULY my husband and I decided to get another patio set. We went to Target, and they had NONE the whole lawn and garden section was gone and replaced by school supplies??? Really, the first week of July??!!!
It's so annoying. Where we live winter drags on forever. So why rush through our short, lovely summer? It drives me nuts! We had a hard time finding another pool for our kids because most stores had taken them off the shelf already! And I'm with you, the bell ringers out already? Seriously?

I haven't seen any holiday decor yet, myself...all "back to school" stuff. What irks me this year is that there are NO WINTER COATS yet, and it's almost September! Granted, it's not cold yet...but by October, in MN, there could be snow flying. I wanted to buy coats!!!

Yep.
It was a few years ago but the earliest I ever saw a Christmas tree go up in a mall store front was 4th of July weekend.
When it's 90 degrees out - they sell winter coats.
When it's 20 below - they sell bikinis.
They sell Halloween now because you almost have to order a costume now for it to get here at the right time (it can be a 6 week lead time since warehouses refuse to order stock to keep on hand (the whole Just In Time concept of warehousing - they won't order until they have customer orders and they are sure the stock will move)).
A lot of stores float all year on what they sell for the Christmas season - so they really look to extend that season as much as possible.
You can almost gauge how bad things are by how early the stores are pushing the seasons.

The store I work at has Halloween costumes for sale already online, but I think thats mostly because the employees generally have to wear costumes most of October anyways.
I do understand what you're saying, I'm as confused as you.

I am bugged by it and by Sept you are going to see Christmas, it is ridiculous! I don't buy ANY of it until the month of.........so stupid.

It just gets earlier and earlier every year!

Maybe they are anticipating and planning for a "light" donation season, considering the economy?

The time of the year I really hate is right BEFORE xmas they start to bring out all the Valentine's Day decorations! WTH???!!! I'm trying to just get thru xmas!!! I hate it. And out here we have had fall decorations for about 3 weeks. Its ridiculous, I agree.

I used to work in a craft store. We were unloading Christmas items by April.

Right now, it's so freaking hot...thinking about Christmas and seeing Christmas stuff out...makes me feel better. Usually, it drives me nuts.

Lol--Cheryl- I completely understand!!! I was in the store yesterday and I was suprised to see a gross bloody arm for halloween on display. I wish that would would actually be allowed to enjoy EACH season before being thrust into the holidays already!

The tinkle of the bell would have bugged me, but yesterday I was in Kirklands and I was kinda excited to see the Halloween decorations out. I didn't buy any but I love the anticipation of a holiday!

Drives me nuts!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I saw Halloween merchandise in the stores this past week too. Every year, it seems like every holiday gets moved up earlier and earlier. I hate it. By the time the occasion comes, it doesn't seem as special and you're just glad to get it over with. Here, it's "summer" through Labor Day, the kids go back to school after that. I don't want to see Halloween stuff before back to school, and I don't know why "Christmas" now starts on November 1st. It was bad enough that it would start Thanksgiving weekend, for me, that season does not start til December/

i could use a little Halloween foreshadowing right now.............i hate houston summers!

I am Not Afraid of SUMMER. And I will milk it for all it's worth, every single year, I will be dragged kicking and screaming into What Comes Next!

:(

No you are not alone. Retail is always 6 months ahead or the calender. I hate it too. If you need a new clothes for summer in July you can't find anything decent to wear but the winter coats are waiting or you. The only good thing about it is the winter stuff is usually on clearence before Halloween and you can get Holiday gifts for a fraction of the price.
And about the time you will actually need swimwear it's on cleareance by Memorial Day.
I worked in retail for years and by time Christmas actually rolled around I was totally sick of dealing with it.
Remember the consumer rules, if you refuse to buy Winter stuff in Summer and Summer stuff in Winter, hopefully retailers will get the hint and start to push back the launch of the new stuff until later.

I agree and I hate it. I don't think it just started this year....I was complaining about the early decorations for sale last year as well. It takes away from the whole mood of the actual season when its everywhere so early.

YES! It bugs me because I am not in the mood to shop for something that far out of season, but god help me if I wait, the selection is totally picked over.

When we're actually ready to celebrate the holiday and start shopping, say 1st of October, there will be NO decorations and NO costumes left!

lol . . . you know the funny thing is, I picked up some Christmas gifts last week. The back to school stuff was on sale, so I got some crayons and stuff extra as stocking stuffers. I also got them an extra folder and notebook because they are usually begging for one by that time. I usually buy them one thing a month between August and November so that I don't have to buy any presents come December. In fact I usually avoid going into stores at all between Thanksgiving and New Years. I hate how materialistic our culture has become.

Michael's craft store has Christmas stuff out already.

No wonder we feel cheated of our summers... Stores have us thinking Back to School in July, Fall/Halloween in August, Thanksgiving in September, Christmas in October, November and December.... Then we sit for the cold winter months just waiting for Spring/Summer to come and it takes for-ever!!! And the cycle starts over again.... YES - it bugs me too!!!