Agree With Scrooge

Christmas seems to come earlier every year. In September, the Costco stores already had plastic Christmas trees and other (made in China) decorative stuff for the home during the holidays. A big faux conifer wreath for the front door. Lighting displays. That was only some of the items. In my most recent visit to Costco there was a range of gift items along with even more plastic Christmas decor.

Driving around the neighborhoods I noticed a sign that said "We hang Christmas lights -- Call xxxxx".

Then at the grocery store earlier this week was the bell ringer. It's not even Thanksgiving. In order to make their numbers, it appears they had to start early this year since the shopping period between Thanksgiving and Christmas is shorter this year; Thanksgiving was so late in November.

Then I came across this on the internet:

Shoppers around the country say they are planning to spend an average of $801 for gifts this holiday season, down from $854 last year according to the twenty-ninth annual survey on holiday spending from the American Research Group, Inc.

In telephone interviews with a random sample of 1,100 adults nationwide conducted November 10 through 14, 2013, the average planned spending of $801 for 2013 is down over 6% from average planned spending in the 2012 survey.

There is something seriously wrong with that survey. That cannot come even close to reality. They certainly were not calling the average income earner who makes a little more than $50,000 a year. That $800 would have represented almost two percent of their annual income.

Guilt giving is just a few weeks away.

Scrooge had it right. Bah. Humbug.