Having worked in retail management, Christmas always started earlier than November...my last SM job was at the large dollar chain. The month of September we had the following seasons displayed...
Leftover summer toys
Leftover back to school
Halloween
Thanksgiving packaways from the previous year
Christmas packaways and clearance
It was always a time of the year that we, as managers pulled our hair out! Hallmark does their big ornament reveal in stores in July...I was usually done with Christmas music by the second week of December, but now that I'm out of retail, I can listen even after the 25th. Traditionally, for me, it was black Friday that kicks it all off. It IS getting earlier every year!