If you’ve walked into Walmart within the past week…or within the past month, you’ve probably noticed the shelves lined with Christmas related items. 

This so called “christmas creep” has become more noticable every year and will most likely continue in the forthcoming years. 

If we look back 5 years ago radio stations were not playing Christmas music until the conclusion of Thanksgiving. As of this year it seems that these songs start to fill our ears immediately following Halloween. 

Then again, no one has written a banger song about Thanksgiving.

 But what is the reason that Christmas seems to get closer every year? Is the Christmas season really becoming a season? Is it simply the growing popularity of Christmas? Or is it something more?

First, we can look at the retail side. We all know that every year it seems like the Christmas decorations arrive earlier and earlier in stores. This year it seemed like Christmas themed items started appearing on the shelves as early as August. 

As soon as October transitioned to November, Walmart’s main web page showed a Christmas themed banner titled “Toyland Now Open!” So are these subliminal forms of advertising really persuading buyers? 

According to Yesmail Interactive, the answer is definitely yes. 38.1% of people start their Christmas shopping before November which means 69.8% of people start their Christmas shopping before December 1.

 So really we are bringing this upon ourselves. By giving into this form of marketing we are contributing to the dissipation of the true holiday spirit.

If Christmas is just becoming part of an elaborate marketing scheme put on by corporate America, it leaves me with this question. How long until the 12 days of Christmas turn into the 12 months of Christmas?