However, this year a good argument can be made that if consumers do a good job of it nationwide, it will help to pull our economy out of its doldrums. And who can be against that?
One of the best ways to tell just when the fever takes hold is to keep your eyes open for merchants who set up their store fronts or kiosks to do business only seasonally. By that measure, the Christmas shopping season may have already started at the Bridgewater Commons Mall, because one such merchant is already setting up to offer his wares.
On the first level, at the Macy’s entrance, in front of the escalators being refurbished for the expected holiday crowds, the Day-by-Day Calendar Company installed its racks this week. The shelves were empty when the photo was taken, but you can expect them to be filled with a variety of wide-ranging subject matter calendars very soon.
If you keep your eyes open, you’ll also notice what could be a similar Christmas marketing strategy with Toys-R-Us & Learning Express, firms that weren’t at the mall during the summer months and which may be gone after December.
Go ahead and shop your heart out, but remember to set aside some serious thinking for the real meaning behind the season.
Photo by Dick Bergeron, 6-25-09