Retailers Decking the Halls and Kicking Off Early Holiday Shopping
Don’t look now, but the holiday shopping season is sneaking up on us. Christmas decorations are hitting the shelves well before we’ve swapped our flip-flops for cozy sweaters. And you can’t forget those jingle-all-the-way shopping ads that are already popping up. Before you can take that first sip of your pumpkin spice latte, some retailers are diving right into an early-bird holiday vibe.
Lowe’s has launched its holiday season earlier than usual, featuring a curated assortment of new, exclusive, and popular holiday essentials. This collection includes items like artificial trees, wreaths, garlands, and inflatables, all of which can be purchased online and found in-store starting in early September.
During the last two years, Lowe’s has observed a rise in searches related to holiday decorations, beginning as early as July. This increase has led to more than a 50% surge in searches on their website compared to previous months. “And with pinched wallets looming from inflation, customers are looking to spread out their holiday shopping and start earlier than we’ve seen in years past,” they said.
Early holiday launch for some retailers
Lowe’s is not alone in its preparation for an early holiday season; other home improvement retailers are also getting ready. Home Depot, for instance, recently unveiled its holiday merchandise on its website last week.
Amazon revealed its plans to host a sale for Prime members in October, mirroring its Prime Early Access Sale from last Fall. This upcoming Amazon sale is anticipated to mark the beginning of the bargain-focused aspect of the holiday season.
For many people, the holiday shopping season starts with seeking out deals during Black Friday. However, the holiday shopping season started early for many consumers in the United States, according to Statista. According to their survey, just over half of U.S. consumers started their holiday shopping in October 2022. A recent survey by YouGov, shared on House Beautiful, polled 2,748 US adults who celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, or Kwanzaa. It revealed that 27% decorate for the holidays before Thanksgiving, while 69% wait until after Thanksgiving to start decorating.
Some say decorating early for the holidays can actually make you happier. Christmas decorations create feelings of joy and can modify hormones in your body, Psychologist Deborah Serani told TODAY, “Christmas decorating will spike dopamine, a feel-good hormone.”
