Time for the leaves to change...

Corn mazes to sprout up...

Pumpkin spice latte...

and the perennial favorite of writers everywhere...

"I can't believe they already have Christmas stuff out and its not even Halloween."

Y-A-W-N.

Oh, excuse me, I suppose I should be in the camp talking about "the good old days" when Ralphie and Flick would admire the merchandise retailers had put in the shop windows during the annual Christmas parade at Higbees.

Wax on about when parents only purchased gifts for the kids during the Christmas season. (That hasn't happened in a generation - at least.)

Or maybe I should extol Nordstrom again because they won't put up decorations until Thanksgiving Day.

Sorry, there is one basic reason all retailers should do this. Wallets.

Most customers have a mental budget of what they will spend for the holidays; for decorations, for gifts for the family, for the teachers/coaches, for the office - the works.

The sooner those customers have spent money earmarked for holiday purchases, the less they will spend when it comes the traditional time to think about buying holiday gifts.

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