If Christmas time is defined by when stores first start selling Christmas related products, when does Christmas start where you live?

Mid July. :-(

My local Slaveway is selling Halloween Candy.

Costco started local Christmas decorations in July. The “Spirit Halloween” store opened here last week.

And Starbucks has been selling Pumpkin Spice lattes since August 24.

Costco has their Christmas/holiday stuff up now. Christmas, Halloween and autumn decorations are all for sale there, now, all at the same time.

Walmart will probably have Halloween and autumn stuff now, too. Their autumn stuff goes on clearance when their Halloween stuff does, right around Halloween.

It’s really crazy. Valentine’s Day stuff goes out the day after Christmas. Easter stuff goes out right after Valentine’s Day. It’s all “buy, buy, buy.”

I’m not exactly sure when Christmas products go on sale here; it varies by store, but I think many will have them by the end of this month or by October.

It’s all “buy, buy, buy.”

I hate capitalism sometimes :P

Some stores start right now, or at least this month (Action).
Others around Black Friday.
Others in between aforementioned.
I’m not a fan of Christmas.
I used to hate it, and then it triggered me, seeing all the junk that needs to be sold/bought, apparently.

All out, Oct. 31st.

After remembrance day.

I live in a region that hosts a chain of stores called Christmas Tree Shops. https://www.christmastreeshops.com/
Each individual store is called Christmas Tree Shops. Plural. They sell buckets of stuff cheap, but you can get Christmas decorations all year round.

It used to be August when I would start seeing Christmas ornaments in Hallmark stores. I doubt that this is going to be a usual year, though.

As for Halloween, which is now in full swing in retail stores, I’m guessing that there’s a little less appetite for skulls and grim reapers and ghosts than what we’re pleased to think of as a normal year. Which I suppose means to the retailers, push harder.

And maybe less enthusiasm for Halloween masks? By now people can disguise themselves by taking their masks off.

Christmas for me is year-round. Like what Jacob Marley was trying to tell Scrooge. Goodwill towards men ALL THE TIME! It’s not my fault that is has turned into a love/hate thing…

@canidmajor: Christmas Tree Shops is great for seasonal crap. I try to avoid it now because I don’t need any more crap, but if I am having a party or looking for seasonal decor, that’s a good source.

@jca2 I’ve got furniture from Christmas Tree Shops. It’s just fun. :-)

@canidmajor – Yeah definitely! I’ve gotten some stained glass light things and mirrors and stuff. Also things like quilts and candles too.

About 5 minutes past midnight on Thanksgiving Day. About the same time holiday music starts playing non stop on radio and TV. ‘Tis the season to spend money, tra la la la la, max out the cards!

Earlier every year!

Earlier than last year!

What about those insufferable “Christmas” stores that have Christmas season decorations for sale 365 days a year?

Christmastime is the newer word for Christmastide. It begins (is observed) on 12–24 and lasts for 12 days. Americans really do it wrong. We act like the birth of Christ is the end of Christmas. It is the beginning. Some countries have it right.

Bah Humbug.

Christmas season for retailers in the US is Black Friday (the Friday after Thanksgiving, which is the fourth Thursday in November) through Christmas Day. A lot of retailers have started doing sales the entire week of Thanksgiving, basically early Black Friday sales.

Most stores start receiving Christmas goods in October to set up for the Christmas season, although like many mentioned above, it is sometimes much before October. It takes time to set everything up, so to the consumer it might look like retailers are starting ridiculously early.

Some stores do set up ridiculously early, but I rarely see anything before September, unless you are in Frankenmuth where it is Christmas all year. https://www.frankenmuth.org/things-to-do/christmas/ There are several stores and towns that are Christmas all year around in the US. Some were mentioned above by other jellies.

Other Christmas things start early November, like Nutcracker might play in your town before Black Friday.

@JLeslie Maybe in Fla it’s like that, but everywhere I’ve lived in the last (at least) three decades, the Big Push starts on November 1. By the time Black Friday rolls around, the pre-season has been in full swing for weeks.

@canidmajor Maybe it’s like that in Florida now too. I might be a few years out of date. I’m not a big shopper.

From the retailers point of view I’m not sure they really see the crowds and start doing the extended hours that early, but maybe they are and I’m just not paying attention. Many places I worked the 6 day work weeks were usually Black Friday week through Christmas, so that’s what is imprinted in my mind.

This year Chanukah is Thanksgiving weekend so in some cities the Holiday season truly will be starting early November to get the gifts to children on time.

I honestly saw Christmas decorations going up in Hobby Lobby (a craft chain store in the US) the day after the 4th of July.
Ridiculous.

Hahaha, @chyna, I seem to be in the minority, I love all the shiny stuff!

^I bet you buy cards that have glitter on them, don’t you?

And my tree is up all year round! (But really, that’s because my living room is gloomy, and the tree is dog themed!)