Page 3 | To think it's silly that shops are already replacing Halloween stock with Christmas stock?

Cantheowneroftheredcorsapleasemovetheircar · 2025-10-26T12:13:09+00:00

Yesterday, so 25th October, I took my daughter to The Range so we could choose some new Halloween decorations for Friday night. Walked in and it was like Christmas exploded in there. Christmas lights, trees and decorations everywhere, Christmas music playing. Halloween decorations shoved into a corner with reduced stickers on. Now I don't mind Christmas decs being out, I see why they do it. Trouble is, the Halloween decorations were by no means sold out yet or even depleted, people very much still wanted them. There were massive piles of them shoved into the corner, it was a busy Saturday there were loads of people crowded round the Halloween decorations, trying to buy them, but unable to properly look at them because they were all piled onto one tiny section with everyone crowded round it. Hardly anyone paying any attention to the Christmas stuff, which filled the entire shop. Picked some Halloween stuff, took it to the counter, and the lady said "it's good to buy it now, when it's all reduced, isn't it? It means you can put it away for next year!" I'm like.... Halloween isn't for a week??!! They're for this year??!! WTF? Makes zero sense. At least a got a discount I guess 🤷

MushroomPuff · 26/10/2025 14:01

At M&S they started putting Christmas stuff out whilst their ‘Summer Edit’ food was still on the shelves… 🙄

Original poster

Cantheowneroftheredcorsapleasemovetheircar · 26/10/2025 13:46

Zov · 26/10/2025 13:41

But some people choose to buy it earlier, and put it up around their house and garden earlier. There's no right or wrong. You seem to be giving the impression that your opinions and the way YOU do it, are gospel, and that only your way is correct.

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Hmmm

No...I'm really not.

I've no problem with people buying things whenever they want. I haven't complained about anything being out too early, I've complained about things being put away too early.

You could argue that making shoppers finish all their buying before an event has even begun is saying there's a right and wrong. People are giving the impression that they think I should be buying earlier and that I've left it too late. So if anything, I am the one being told when I should and shouldn't buy things.

As you say, there's no right or wrong.

OP posts:

Zov · 26/10/2025 13:41

Cantheowneroftheredcorsapleasemovetheircar · 26/10/2025 13:39

Exactly.
I'm sure it's only been the last few years too. Uve always bought Halloween stuff around my October payday.

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But some people choose to buy it earlier, and put it up around their house and garden earlier. There's no right or wrong. You seem to be giving the impression that your opinions and the way YOU do it, are gospel, and that only your way is correct.

Original poster

Cantheowneroftheredcorsapleasemovetheircar · 26/10/2025 13:39

purpleme12 · 26/10/2025 13:33

Completely agree
Don't mind about Christmas stuff being out now cos that's been the case for years.
But I'm sure it's only been in the last few years that they've started getting rid of Halloween (or other seasonal stuff) before Halloween happens
It annoys me

Exactly.
I'm sure it's only been the last few years too. Uve always bought Halloween stuff around my October payday.

OP posts:

Zov · 26/10/2025 13:38

I get you @Cantheowneroftheredcorsapleasemovetheircar and fairplay, I see you're not one of those people. However, some people (including me) do disagree with you with what you're saying (and what your thread is about.)

phoenixrosehere · 26/10/2025 13:38

LlynTegid · 26/10/2025 13:32

There are two unreasonable things here- the Halloween tat and the start of Christmas shopping in October.

I'd have double VAT on early sales of Christmas stuff, and Easter eggs before Shrove Tuesday.

Why is Halloween stuff tat but not Christmas stuff?

Both can be kept for the next year.

Zov · 26/10/2025 13:37

Needmorelego · 26/10/2025 13:34

@Cantheowneroftheredcorsapleasemovetheircar I went in Home Bargains the other day.
Customers definitely weren't ignoring the Christmas stock there. They were buying loads.

Exactly. I have seen this too. Indeed , we have bought about a third of our Christmas (food) stuff already. We like to be well prepared and get what we need before it sells out. We left it late a few years ago (early December) and 3 or 4 things we usually have had sold out, and they didn't come back in. Once bitten and all that........

Original poster

Cantheowneroftheredcorsapleasemovetheircar · 26/10/2025 13:36

Zov · 26/10/2025 13:28

YABU @Cantheowneroftheredcorsapleasemovetheircar .

The Halloween stuff has been around since early September, and people have had plenty of time to get it. It's 26th October, only 4-5 days to Halloween, and you're acting like it's still September. I don't think it's that odd for the Christmas stuff to be shoved to the front now. It's only 8 weeks, and some people have a lot to get, and may want to spread it over the next 8 weeks. It would be no good for some if they didn't start selling it til 1st December.

I don't know where you live, but where I live - the market town 3-4 miles from me, and my village - people put Halloween decorations up from around 10th-12th October. (A few do it even earlier, like the first week of October.) It's spooky season for most from 1st October to 31st October.

My Halloween decorations went up on 17th October. It's highly unusual for people to put Halloween decorations up on 31st October and only keep them up for that one day, and night. I don't know anyone in real life who does that.

Are you one of these people who puts the Christmas decorations (and tree) up on Christmas Eve, then takes it all down on Boxing Day, because you 'don't like the clutter?' And doesn't buy Easter Eggs until the day before Good Friday and then complains that they can't get any, or there are only the £25 ones left? (Even though they've been on sale since late January/early February?!)

There are some people like that on Mumsnet. I never meet any in real life though.

I'm absolutely not that person, no.
And I did say in my OP that I understand why they are out I just don't understand why they dominate.
I start thinking about/preparing for Christmas myself around the time the kids go back to school in September. I aim to have my Christmas shopping done by the end of November (don't always achieve it!) and my decs go up 1st weekend in December, never before December. I love Christmas and make it last the entire month, I can't believe people take stuff down on boxing day, that's very much still Christmas to me and I find it sad but ETTO.
Easter stuff I buy around 2 weeks to a month before but I only buy egg hunt stuff as they are lucky and get shit loads of eggs brought the the grandparents.

All I am saying is I want all events to actually be over before I am being stopped from celebrating them. It used to be, not that long ago at all, that you would be buying all the reduced stock after the event. The Christmas chocolate would still be on the reduced counters in January. The valentine's chocolates still being reduced on February 15th.
Now it's all gone before it's even happened.

OP posts:

Needmorelego · 26/10/2025 13:34

@Cantheowneroftheredcorsapleasemovetheircar I went in Home Bargains the other day.
Customers definitely weren't ignoring the Christmas stock there. They were buying loads.

purpleme12 · 26/10/2025 13:33

Completely agree
Don't mind about Christmas stuff being out now cos that's been the case for years.
But I'm sure it's only been in the last few years that they've started getting rid of Halloween (or other seasonal stuff) before Halloween happens
It annoys me

LlynTegid · 26/10/2025 13:32

There are two unreasonable things here- the Halloween tat and the start of Christmas shopping in October.

I'd have double VAT on early sales of Christmas stuff, and Easter eggs before Shrove Tuesday.

Zov · 26/10/2025 13:28

YABU @Cantheowneroftheredcorsapleasemovetheircar .

The Halloween stuff has been around since early September, and people have had plenty of time to get it. It's 26th October, only 4-5 days to Halloween, and you're acting like it's still September. I don't think it's that odd for the Christmas stuff to be shoved to the front now. It's only 8 weeks, and some people have a lot to get, and may want to spread it over the next 8 weeks. It would be no good for some if they didn't start selling it til 1st December.

I don't know where you live, but where I live - the market town 3-4 miles from me, and my village - people put Halloween decorations up from around 10th-12th October. (A few do it even earlier, like the first week of October.) It's spooky season for most from 1st October to 31st October.

My Halloween decorations went up on 17th October. It's highly unusual for people to put Halloween decorations up on 31st October and only keep them up for that one day, and night. I don't know anyone in real life who does that.

Are you one of these people who puts the Christmas decorations (and tree) up on Christmas Eve, then takes it all down on Boxing Day, because you 'don't like the clutter?' And doesn't buy Easter Eggs until the day before Good Friday and then complains that they can't get any, or there are only the £25 ones left? (Even though they've been on sale since late January/early February?!)

There are some people like that on Mumsnet. I never meet any in real life though.

LillyPJ · 26/10/2025 13:25

The shops stock what customers will buy. If we all ignored the pressure to endlessly spend on pointless tat, we'd all be better off and the planet would thank us for it.

TheNightingalesStarling · 26/10/2025 13:24

The Range starts its Christmas section in September when it reduces its summer stock.

Jellybunny56 · 26/10/2025 13:23

Cantheowneroftheredcorsapleasemovetheircar · 26/10/2025 13:09

I'm not entirely sure they do though.

Noone was paying attention to the Christmas decs which Dominates two floors of the shop. It had to been seen to be believed. About 10 Christmas trees just at the entrance, rows and rows of baubles on the shelves, huge blow-up Santas and light-up reindeers in the middle.
Piles of Halloween decorations were shoved to one side, and there were crowds of shoppers looking at them and buying them, getting irritated with being so squashed in and getting arsey with each other. They wanted the Halloween stuff, not Christmas. It was plainly obvious the shop missed the mark.

I don't celebrate Christmas in November at all, but I understand if it was Christmas central in the shopping world from 1st November.
People don't want it before then though.

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I’m not sure you can confidently say that really, it’s just as possible that all those people wanted the REDUCED items, which just happened to be halloween items. As the store assistant said lots of people could have been getting a bargain for next year.

I’d be surprised if many people who were actually bothered about having halloween decs up would have waited until this weekend to go buy some.

thatsmyhouse · 26/10/2025 13:21

But OP you were in their 10 minutes or so surely? As someone said upthread, they will be basing their strategy on data, not a feeling they get from wandering around one of their stores for a short period of time on one day. Maybe you are right and it hasn't worked this year and will be different next year, but the trend has long been to put stuff out well ahead of events so I doubt it.

NotForTheMoneyandNotForTheApplause · 26/10/2025 13:21

PumpkinCinnamonSpice · 26/10/2025 12:25

It’s not like Christmas where you decorate 2-3 weeks before, I’ll put some Halloween decs up with the kids at some point this week! It’s daft

Maybe not where you live but there have been decorated houses round me for days already

People definitely make a week's long event nowadays

Original poster

Cantheowneroftheredcorsapleasemovetheircar · 26/10/2025 13:19

girlfriend44 · 26/10/2025 13:16

Why does everyone need so much crap every year. Surely Halloween stuff can be reused?

Love Summer in the shops and Spring.
Gardening stuff,Camping Stuff, Plantar garden chairs, Paddling Pools and Picnic items.
All this winter Crud can get in the bin.

I think the general idea is that you buy a few bits every year and build up a collection. So when your kids are small, you have a few bits for them to enjoy, and by the time they're adults, you have everything and they no longer care 😅

A bit like how by the time you're in a position to buy a big house, you no longer need one 😂

OP posts:

girlfriend44 · 26/10/2025 13:16

Why does everyone need so much crap every year. Surely Halloween stuff can be reused?

Love Summer in the shops and Spring.
Gardening stuff,Camping Stuff, Plantar garden chairs, Paddling Pools and Picnic items.
All this winter Crud can get in the bin.

Original poster

Cantheowneroftheredcorsapleasemovetheircar · 26/10/2025 13:16

Tickingcrocodile · 26/10/2025 13:10

They must miss out on a lot of sales. On 1st August I took my DD shopping for clothes to wear on holiday and almost all the summer clothing had been replaced by knitwear and winter coats! There were just a few bits left on the sales rack. I ended up getting swimwear etc when we got to France where the shops were still in full summer holiday season.

I think they must do too.
People are saying they must know their business model but it was very clear to me yesterday that it was at odds with what customers wanted.

OP posts:

Tickingcrocodile · 26/10/2025 13:10

They must miss out on a lot of sales. On 1st August I took my DD shopping for clothes to wear on holiday and almost all the summer clothing had been replaced by knitwear and winter coats! There were just a few bits left on the sales rack. I ended up getting swimwear etc when we got to France where the shops were still in full summer holiday season.

Original poster

Cantheowneroftheredcorsapleasemovetheircar · 26/10/2025 13:09

thatsmyhouse · 26/10/2025 12:55

I feel the shops know their own business model better than you do and are not stupid, silly etc as called on here. It is all about maximising profit and presumably this model is what works for them.

I'm not entirely sure they do though.

Noone was paying attention to the Christmas decs which Dominates two floors of the shop. It had to been seen to be believed. About 10 Christmas trees just at the entrance, rows and rows of baubles on the shelves, huge blow-up Santas and light-up reindeers in the middle.
Piles of Halloween decorations were shoved to one side, and there were crowds of shoppers looking at them and buying them, getting irritated with being so squashed in and getting arsey with each other. They wanted the Halloween stuff, not Christmas. It was plainly obvious the shop missed the mark.

I don't celebrate Christmas in November at all, but I understand if it was Christmas central in the shopping world from 1st November.
People don't want it before then though.

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LadyKenya · 26/10/2025 13:08

waitamo · 26/10/2025 12:54

I'm at an age now where all this decorating stuff drives me a bit mad. OK I admit it, I'm a total and utter grinch! But then again I've no kids so that may be a factor!

I live alone and turn off all the lights and draw the blinds on Hallowee'n, to deter callers. I drop a few bags of goodies to the two little girls next door early in the afternoon and that's that. Sorry.

I also leg it mid December to mid January to a nicer climate, so no Christmas shite here either.

I love my life like this.

That is lovely that you do that for your neighbours children. Where I used to live, as a child, a lovely, lady, used to come and give me a bar of chocolate, or some boiled sweets, occasionally. A really nice memory.

Original poster

Cantheowneroftheredcorsapleasemovetheircar · 26/10/2025 12:56

ACynicalDad · 26/10/2025 12:50

I’d rather the unprepared miss out than they make so much lots is in landfill

The unprepared weren't missing out, there was plenty available to buy. You're missing the point entirely

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thatsmyhouse · 26/10/2025 12:55

I feel the shops know their own business model better than you do and are not stupid, silly etc as called on here. It is all about maximising profit and presumably this model is what works for them.