It’s fall. The air is getting cooler. It’s the perfect mood to shop for autumn decor. Maybe
some leaves and pumpkin scents. But as you walk into the store, there are Christmas
decorations, right next to the yellow and orange accessories. It’s November. Thanksgiving
hasn’t even happened yet.
This is a typical sight at many stores, ranging from craft shops like Michael’s, to retailers
like Walmart. This phenomenon, where Christmas merchandise is being sold weeks before
the season begins, is called “Christmas creep”.
This phenomenon isn’t anything new. It’s been happening for a long time. According to Bill
Black’s When Christmas Started Creeping, it has been at least a century that people have
been shopping early for Christmas presents, due to the unpredictability of winter weather.
Naturally, the stores would have to put up their merchandise at this time to fulfill their
clients’ demands, but there’s another motive involved.
DECA vice president and senior Izzy Brugner explains that it’s also so “they can try to get
the hype started early [and] start building a demand for their products as early as they
possibly can”. After all, businesses do need to make money, and customer pleasure is the
way to go.
The marketing strategy is quite effective; many people do get festive early. But the
Christmas spirit isn’t just buying things, in fact, it’s far from that. It’s different for each
person and family. For one, it could be celebrating the holiday’s religious aspects, for
another, it’s all about the decorations. So, while not everyone will be buying their lights and
reindeer and holly from these stores, they may still be putting them up. Even if it’s weeks
before December.
While sophomore Shayna Gorgol gets pumped up for Christmas after Halloween ends, she
does not immediately put up her decorations. “I feel like decorating [right after Halloween]
would be kind of ignorant of Thanksgiving,” said Gorgol. So, she decorates a few days after
Thanksgiving ends, closer to the holiday season.
On the other hand, sophomore Thora Gudmundsdottir offers a different perspective. “I
usually put [them] up around the beginning of November,” said Gudmundsdottir. “Our
family doesn’t really like Thanksgiving.” During this time, she gets into the jolly spirit by
watching Christmas movies and playing festive songs.
As with many things, there’s all sorts of views about Christmas creep. But it’s important to
know that this isn’t a new thing, or that it’s just for Christmas. “I’ve noticed it with back-to-school shopping, I noticed it with Halloween, even during Christmas, they start putting out
Valentine’s Day stuff…this phenomenon is taking place with almost every seasonal trend”
says Brugner.
Whether you love it or hate it, stores will likely continue to display their garlands and jolly
wreaths, and people will get festive while the leaves are still turning red. But it isn’t as
irrational as it seems. It makes money and makes people happy.
There’s still time to grab favorite scents and the orange leaves, because fall isn’t over yet.
There’s still time before Christmas, time before winter really begings, especially in Florida.
