Isn't it a little early for Halloween????

We are suffering too here on the East Coast--broke all heat records on Friday! And I have seen winter clothes popping up here too. I feel sorry for the people who have to unload that stuff and put it on the racks/shelves/. No air conditioning is strong enough to cool you down if your surrounded by winter coats this week.!

That makes a lot of sense, but doesn't that have a domino effect--hurting sales in September and October? I've never worked that kind of retail, so I'm not really sure.

we walked into Hobby Lobby yesterday and they had pumpkins all over the area and the cashier was messing with Christmas trees! they weren't jack-o-lanterns, but still!!!

if that's a craft shop then it makes sense. a lot of people make presents or things to sell, so need the appropriate things a lot sooner so they can get started.

Exactly--why do we have to rush through every holiday and season??????

I didn't really mind it because it was a craft store, but that's the ONLY place I don't mind!

I'm sure some stores are putting out Christmas stuff too!

I just went craft-store shopping and the big ones haven't put out their large Halloween displays out yet. . .

I think, as some people below suggested, they are either trying to get rid of overstock or are trying to bolster sales. But, to me, it makes Halloween less special--especially for kids--if they feel like it is a 3-month shopping experience, rather than a fun holiday in late October!

hehe. we've got more boxes of Halloween decorations than we have Christmas ones. also, some of them are about my home most of the year, just because they're cute. I love bats, so I have cuddly toy bats and bat shaped things out all year.

Oh, I love Halloween parties, and have one at my house every year. And my kids and I have all sorts of "Halloween" decorations out all year round. But I'm not sure I need to start planning for a Halloween party in June or July. . . lol. My main complaint about rushing to put out store merchandise so early--for ANY holiday--is it takes some of the magic out of each holiday--each has a season and a time of year associated with it, and if they all just blend together, then none seem as special. At least that's my take on it!

Actually, that kind of thing has happened already--my son broke his swimming goggles last week and I can't find any left in stock to replace them with. And it's still July--6 weeks of swimming left!

Around here, we don't even really get to see many Thanksgiving decorations anymore--the stores go straight from Halloween to Christmas. At this rate, you are right--turkeys will be on sale in September, and none will be available in November!

well that depends doesn't it. Halloween does coincide with the Pagan festival of Samhain (Sowen, not Sam-Hain) which marks the end of the agricultural year. the last harvest. there is the harvest of grains, the harvest of fruits, and then the harvest of meat, when animals would be chosen to be kept through a hard winter, and others slaughtered and their meat preserved to keep people going through the winter. those parts of meat that can't easily be preserved meant that this was a feast day. although this is rarely the case now that food is easily availiable year round for many people, and there is animal feed enough to keep a whole herd over winter. at this time, Pagans also honour their ancestors who have passed. it's my favourite of the festivals of the year, actually. and for many Christians, it's the eve of all saints day. so sacred to them in their own way too.

Well said, Galena. To ebuscat--then the store practice of putting out Halloween decorations so early must be especially annoying.

I think crafting stores are right to have Halloween, autumn, and Christmas crafts out already, because they do take some time to make. But even the crafting stores haven't put out as much holiday stuff as some of these retail clothing stores!

All true. Sometimes I think stores don't really factor in practical realities such as bonus season and such. Maybe that's why retail is hurting so much.

I guess people who want to make sure their kid gets the "in" costume this year would buy now. But I am pretty sure this is still last year's stock, so that probably wouldn't work anyway! Everything is so rush-rush-rush--and it is annoying.

You are right, the prices probably are a lot cheaper now, but I already have a TON of Halloween decorations, and I don't expect my kids to know what they want to be for Halloween now! Plus, my kids usually change their minds 3-4 times every year anyway, so any costume I bought now would probably be passe by October!

Congratulations! And you should have no trouble finding a "baby's first Halloween" outfit and bib--I'm sure they are putting them on shelves--and in online stores--already!