UNITED STATES—Summer is over, I hate to say it, but the fact is the fact, when August ends and Labor Day comes and goes, it’s time to acknowledge summer has culminated and fall is fast-approaching.
Why might this matter? There are a ton of holidays coming up. Two of the big ones being Christmas and the other being Halloween. Which is the bigger? I’m inclined to argue Halloween, because as big as Christmas is, you see a slew of Spirit Halloween stores pop up every Halloween season at strip malls and local businesses that may have been vacant for months.
I know for my personal preference, I love Halloween. It is indeed my favorite holiday of the year. You get the opportunity to dress up and be someone else for a day. Not to mention it is the season that ushers in all things spooky, scary movies, costumes, candy, parties and just fun. It is a holiday to me that ushers in the thrill of having fun. As much as I love the holiday, I sometimes question retailers pushing out the merchandise at such an early time frame.
I started seeing Halloween merchandise at some of the big box stores near the end of August. I’m like where are the back-to-school supplies? I mean I have to think about Halloween at least two to three months before the actual holiday is upon us. I don’t like it, but it feels like this has become the norm in the retail arena. Get the product in the faces of the consumer as soon as possible, so they can start spending money weeks in advance of the big holiday. It truly is a smart tactic, but it all depends on whether your budget can handle that additional spending.
I recall in 2024, I purchased my Halloween costume at a Spirit Halloween establishment around a week before the holiday. Why? I expected things to be discounted a bit more, but that wasn’t the case. A lot of the items were still full-priced, which got me thinking. Perhaps it’s better to by early instead of waiting till the last minute. Why? I was in a situation where; I was stuck with what I purchased. There were no refunds being offered after I bought what I bought. Had I purchased the costume or items I needed back in September, I probably could have returned them if it was something I didn’t want.
The consumer is being placed in that tricky predicament, where buying early is not always an advantage. You purchase something months before a holiday, you find yourself stuck with those items because you can’t take them back. The early merchandise has started with Halloween, but before October arrives Christmas items will be in stores, soon followed by Super Bowl and Valentine’s Day, Easter, Memorial Day, Fourth of July and Back to School. It’s an ongoing cycle. It’s there today, and then gone tomorrow, but just sometimes let’s allow these holidays to slowly approach and not shove it down our throats.
