Christmas in September

Image by col.hou via Flickr

The Christmas shopper doesn’t start polishing off their credit cards until mid November.  It’s always been traditional that the day after Thanksgiving, commonly known as “Black Friday,” is when people push their shopping carts through the front doors of Wal-Mart, not caring whether they trample a shopper or two, just to get the best bargain in the store.

 It seems every year that retailers start advertising for the Christmas season, earlier and earlier. However, that doesn’t mean that shoppers accommodate and make the decision to go into debt before the “official” season begins. They know they’ll have plenty of time to do that, when they no longer have an option.

 One can now expect to see Halloween costumes advertising in stores, as soon as Labor Day ends.  Since the economy has been down in the dumper, retailers are literally at the mercy of Jane or John Doe shopper.  What retailers don’t always comprehend, is that advertising earlier, doesn’t necessarily mean people will buy items at that time. It would have to be a big savings in order for that to happen.

  What I find especially upsetting about advertising earlier, is that it loses something when it comes to real Christmas spirit. It’s difficult for people to be in that mindset, that early.  By the time Christmas does roll around, it just feels like another day, instead of what the true meaning is supposed to be.  I love the traditional Thanksgiving Macy*s day parade, football on the tube, and the delicious turkey cooking in the oven, to officially start the season.

 The irony of  it all, is that there will still be procrastinators who will wait until the very last- minute until they buy their Christmas presents. That will never change, despite starting the advertising blitz a month or two earlier.  Whatever happened to taking things one day at a time? I’m from the old school of enjoying every minute we have on this earth. Someone should give a hint to retailers. It might just behoove them in the end.