Winter is coming

[Teefies2]

I want to start off by saying that I've been at my job 15 years (yes, 15, yes that is a long time). So I know how retail seasons work. We had candy corn out in July, more Halloween candy in August and all of Halloween stuff out right after Labor Day. In the last few weeks, the summer stuff is gone and we have our hats, gloves and hand warmers out. The weather is in the high 80's for the last week and a half.

Today we got something on our truck that had me literally stopping in my tracks...snow shovels, ice scrapers and rock salt.

I guess it's nice to know that in my jaded retail heart that there's still stuff that surprises me.

But Trixie, don't you know?? It's October, it's 90 today in my town in North Carolina, but goldarn it! Winter is coming!!!! We had people asking for heaters in August. Of course, once we got the "new and improved as seen on TV" Handy Heaters, no one bought them

I waited on a man and his daughter yesterday ... she was all "I want a TOY! I want a TOY!" I said, "But it's only 2 months until Christmas" She looked me right in the eye, all 2 1/2 feet of her and said ....

"No. We can't have Christmas until the cold comes" I had to agree with her there

[Blue Ginger]

I love Christmas. The lights. The sparkly decorations. The tinsel. The beautiful hot beach and bbq weather. I love it all.

Except the music. I want to claw my own ears off when I hear it over and over again from around October.

I got Mum's tree at the Boxing day sales and then had to hide it for 12 months under my bed. (I still lived at home and roped Gran into getting her out of the house while I hid it.) Every year, we get wrapping paper and cards at the sales too. Because spreading out the cost over a couple of months is a huge must.

I now have 4 boxes of decorations for a small tree in my apartment. My parents have 8 boxes of decorations for their 6 foot tree. We have so many that I can now colour co-ordinate them each year. And I did not pay full price for anything, including glass and crystal ornaments.

[Victorian Christmas Tree]

Mom and I have to check out the Christmas section at our Wallyworld just to see what they have new.

Invariably, a couple of ornaments will jump off the shelf and into the cart. Ran into the same problem when we had KMart with those as well. :whisle:

Now I have a small tree that I set up in my boudoir (it's a 3 foot high pink tree) and most of the ornaments are different shades of pink/white/purple (I still have a pretty blue bird that hangs out there too) and too many ornaments for the poor little thing.

Guess I won't be putting the trees up this year . . . dangling, shiny ornaments and kittens means getting out the vacuum cleaner, broom dustpan, trash can, etc.

I love my five cats only one of them like the Christmas tree and what she does is lays on the fourth Branch from the bottom all day and all night and because of her I have to keep the Christmas tree up all year

[Android Kaeli]

Much as I despise it, I can see why Christmas goods are put out earlier and earlier. With the way prices have increased in excess of wages in recent years, you need to split up your shopping over several months if you're not going to put yourself in a hole financially.

Need to replace your fake tree/ornaments that are looking too ratty? Buy them September/October (or even better in the post-Christmas sales the previous year).

Always buy wrapping paper/bows/Christmas cards in the sales and put them aside for next year.

Don't care if your turkey/goose/ham/other food is frozen? Buy them around October and shove them in the freezer.

Present shopping can start at any time of the year, depending on release dates and whether it's something that might need to be returned (e.g. ill-fitting clothes, faulty electrical goods) as that eases the strain on your monthly income.

The only things that ever get bought in December in our house are DVDs/CDs/books with late release dates and fresh food that can't be frozen.

I usually start Christmas shopping for the next Christmas either right after Christmas or sometime after New Years. Usually just small trinkets that I know someone will like. Plus I have enough wrapping paper/bows/Christmas Cards/etc to open my own little shop. o.o