Christmas.... hmm.....

now for someone to make fake snow and spread it on the parking lot.....

every year, they complain about how bad sales are down for that specific xmas season. I'm sure alot of it has to do with setting up for christmas so early, that people get the bug in their head to get their shopping done earlier.

WHERE THE HELL IS MY FESTIVUS POLE!?!

Consumers for Christ!
Consumers for Christ!
Consumers for Christ!
Consumers for Christ!
getting tired
Consumers for Christ!

You know, I hate to rag Consumerist, but all the posts so far except maybe Costco are for stores that traditionally have large, year-round displays for Christmas. Cracker Barrel definitely is no exception. They keep an entire Christmas corner with all your ornaments and trees and goodies and utter Christmas crap. This is nothing new to me; I've been using their bathrooms when traveling for 20+ years lol.

Old people love Cracker Barrel and old people love Christmas crap, coincidence?

ugh. I used to drive past that Tewksbury fry pit daily, and it looks entirely patronized by old and/or fat people who really should be watching their salt n' grease intake. I've never set foot in one of those places.

otoh, here in MA there's a whole chain of "Christmas Tree Shops" and I've never seen these anywhere else. yes, they're open year-round. though the fantastic Bush economy of '08 might put a damper on the sales of useless toxic Chinese-made red & green shit.

ugh.

Why isn't anyone complaining that there are no Hanukkah
or Kwanza decorations and the like being sold?

@gatewaytoheaven: Hanukkah is a pretty minor Jewish holiday. We don't have or need a lot of stuff to celebrate it, so there's no point in marketing it. Apart from what those family specials on TV imply, it is not Jewish Christmas. ;p

Our parents just gave us gifts (pen and pencil sets, a new calculator, a couple of notebooks... sigh) just so we wouldn't feel left out in our predominately Christian neighborhood.

I can't speak to Kawanza, though.

@gatewaytoheaven: Why complain about a GOOD thing? Those holidays still have some class. You don't see giant Menorahs out by the trash can kicked to the curb after Hanukkah do you? Point made.

@AgentTuttle: I get tired of seeing the same thing on a quasi-six month schedule. I'd rather see something new, such as Hanukkah or Kwanza celebrations out there than the "standard." There's nothing wrong with Christmas...I just don't prefer to see it in August.

@hellinmyeyes: I'm also tired of seeing these "Christmas Creep" stories, probably because I really don't get what the big deal is. In one of the earlier stories, the OP said it literally made him sick to his stomach. Guess maybe I would find these stories more interesting if the mere sight of Christmas merchandise can induce that kind of physical effect on me.

On a related note, I was at Kroger today and noticed their signs exclaiming they have flu shots available -- RIGHT NOW! I threw up a little at the Flu Season Creep... ;)

I wrote to you guys about the Cracker Barrel Christmas thing too.

@rinse: I'm guessing the people with physical symptoms are the same ones who sue local governments to take down Christmas decorations, and erect a "Holiday" tree. What about Passover Creep? You know, when you go into the store, and they have extra Matzohs lining the store shelf.

Who buys christmas presents at freakin' Cracker Barrel???

@hellinmyeyes and rinse: The worst thing about these Christmas creep stories is that they get not only more repetitive as the year drags on but also less noteworthy. The very earliest one--that's a story. Subsequent store displays are just competing, plus we are getting actually closer to Christmas. When's the cutoff? Thanksgiving is in a few months--will the stories end then?

I think it's safe to say that most of us are not offended by Christmas displays after Halloween. A few are offended until about the week before Thanksgiving, but I think that's a very small minority. The problem with the early displays is that it demonstrates that Christmas is more about consumerism than about any religious or cultural message.

I think I'm just so used to Christmas creep that it doesn't even bother me any more.

Considering the economy, I wouldn't be surprised if people are purposely starting to buy gifts earlier, one by one.

@homerjay: Have you been to one? You'd be surprised. They have an entire large room dedicated to gift type items.

@homerjay: People whose grandmothers like anything that looks "homemade" or "country"

@PinkBox: I started Christmas shopping months ago. The economy is a big part of it. It hurts less to space it out. Also, if I see something that someone will really, truly love, I will buy it in March, instead of picking up some shitty gift from the Christmas displays at f'ing Cracker Barrel in August.

@erratapage: "The problem with the early displays is that it demonstrates that Christmas is more about consumerism than about any religious or cultural message."

I'm as tired as everyone else about the Christmas Creep stories. And at places like Hobby Lobby and Cracker Barrell, I'm not sure why it's even surprising these places are already getting in the holiday spirit. But in response to the quote above, I think it's close, but just missed the mark. The early displays demonstrate that Christmas is more about consumerism to retailers. That does NOT mean it has to be in your house. At my house, we LOVE christmas. And not because we love presents. In fact, we are not even religious. To us, Christmas is a spirit, it's about our families, it's about joy. Yes, we partake in some consumerist activities. We buy decorations, we go to a Christmas concert, we even buy gifts for one another. So even if every store suddenly decided to NOT sell any Christmas decorations, at my house at least, Christmas would live on. I don't understand why it has to be so offensive if a store suddenly decides to market Christmas year round even.

This kinda stuff reminds me of when I was a kid, and stores would start sending out all their back to school sale ads in july. What a way to kill the joy of summer!

@theblackdog: I have, yeah, but I still don't see it.
I guess Blackdog called it. Just not my taste.

Yes indeedy. Us fat and old people have no right going outside and stinking up the atmosphere with our oldess and fatness. Especially hanging out at Cracker Barrel

@hellinmyeyes: I think this is different because I snapped a similar photo at Cracker Barrel near me on August 2nd (this guy beat me to posting it) and this big display with full on Christmas tree and Santa is right in the front door as you walk in. There is more than just a corner..

I love Christmas, but I want it to atleast be cold before they start putting it out there. It's 100+ degrees here in Texas in August... no ammount of lousy marketing can make it feel like Christmas.