Why Is This Already Being Sold in the Hudson Valley?

Every year, it seems holidays start earlier and earlier. During the height of the pandemic lockdown, people were opting to put Christmas decorations up in the Spring just to provide some sense of joy during harsh times.

However, it seems like this practice of getting an early start on holiday decorating hasn't really gone away. In fact, it feels like it may be getting worse?

Early Holiday Decor in the Hudson Valley

This week, I stopped to pick up some canvases and couldn't believe what I saw upon entering the store. No, don't worry, it wasn't Christmas decor just yet.

What I saw in front of me was a wide array of orange and purple Halloween decorations. Yep, as of July 1st, Halloween decorations are already available for purchase in the Hudson Valley!

As someone who actually does love Fall and Halloween, even I was not too pleased to be inundated by this sight just yet. Halloween isn't for another 4 months. And while I may or may not be a part of the population who begins decorating for the holiday on the last day of August, July 1st just feels ridiculous. Summer only officially started 9 days before this Halloween decor dropped!

Why the Early Holiday Decorations?

According to Forbes, many stores opt to put out their Christmas decorations as early as possible to gain an edge over the competition and give shoppers the illusion of having more to spend on gifts.

Having the option to purchase Christmas decorations early allows for shoppers to take a little pressure off of their wallets during the high-spending Christmas present-buying season. If you can purchase your decorations before mid-November and put the rest of your upcoming paychecks toward gifts, it feels like you've got more to spend.

This all checks out for a gift-buying holiday like Christmas, but what other expenses are involved with Halloween other than candy?

According to research from Modern Retailer, most stores are putting out their Halloween offerings in the summer simply because it tends to be a slow sales season.

Some Halloween fanatics are willing to drop money on their decorations in the summer, providing a small but present boost to sales for these retailers.

Where Can You Already Purchase Halloween Decorations in the Hudson Valley?

As you may have guessed, Michael's in Poughkeepsie is the culprit. However, if you are in the market for Halloween decorations or even Christmas decor this summer, Michael's already has a huge amount of options on their website for both as well.

Whether we like it or not, it seems that if stores continue making money off of their early holiday offerings, the rest of us will simply have to put up with the unwelcome early arrivals.