Christmas catalogs

Call me a Grinch if you like. I really hate receiving Christmas catalogs before Halloween. I have made it a rule to put all holiday-themed catalogs directly into the recycling bin until after Halloween. I want to at least make it until at least November before receiving holiday catalogs, seeing holiday decorations, and please, no holiday music until after Thanksgiving!

I have two main problems with Christmas Creep

• It's annoying. I want to live my life seasonally and late September/early October is not Christmas time. Christmas creep does not make me feel festive, it makes me feel angry. I don't want to buy wrapping paper or wreathes or cards for fake trees. I'd like to enjoy October, have my Brach's Autumn Mix, move on to turkey and pumpkin pie and then focus on Christmas
• It's wasteful. Just think of all of those catalogs going straight into the recycling bin.

In addition, there is a question about whether or not it even good for retailers. According to Christmas Creep: The Shopping Season Is Longer, but Is It Better? extending the Christmas season may increase small purchases and impulse buys. Conversely, people know that if they wait, they can probably buy things at deep discounts. Additionally, there are still only so many shopping dollars to go around. I found an article by the Associated Press: Grinch? No, but the ‘Christmas creep’ is here

Retailers haven’t reported any big jumps in sales or profits pegged to an extended Christmas shopping season.

So pretty much, they are lengthening the holiday shopping season and annoying me and generating a whole lot of waste for little or no benefit to their bottom line.