Anyone who felt Christmas creeping into stores before Halloween read the calendar right. Some shoppers started their holiday shopping back in June, and the deals have kept coming. The harder question is who moved the season up first, the stores or the shoppers filling their carts?
Retailers moved well before the first trick-or-treater knocked on a door. The Home Depot stocked holiday decor nationwide and opened its holiday gift savings just ahead of Halloween, while Macy’s and Disney rolled out a joint collection online and in select stores. Plenty of shoppers, though, were already waiting in line.
Holiday sales start months before Thanksgiving
Retailers now hold holiday sales months before Thanksgiving, and shoppers are taking advantage of them. In a survey of 4,000 consumers, one in 4 respondents already bought holiday items during June promotional events.
Four in 10 shoppers now plan to hit October sales events, up 18 percentage points since 2023 and close to Cyber Monday’s 44%. In the retail industry’s own explanation, stores put holiday merchandise on shelves early because many consumers begin holiday shopping before November. The same explanation says chains respond with holiday sales events as early as October.
Store shelves fill up before Halloween
The Home Depot’s 2026 holiday collection put Grand Duchess artificial trees on the shelf before Halloween, along with a Santa animatronic that stands 6.5 feet tall and works through an app. The trees now connect to the Hubspace app, so owners can adjust their displays from a smartphone. Freshly cut trees reach the chain’s stores in November.
A limited-edition holiday sweater from The Home Depot, with orange apron pockets full of decorating tools, went on sale online Oct. 1. A second batch followed Oct. 15, limited to one per customer. “This holiday season, we’re helping our customers turn their biggest holiday ideas into reality, whether they’re building a showstopping outdoor display or getting their home ready for hosting,” said Aubrey Horowitz, merchant of decorative holiday at The Home Depot.
Macy’s and Disney also started early with a joint holiday collection that pays tribute to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, which makes its 100th march this year. Select pieces went live on their website Oct. 7, and the collection began reaching select Macy’s stores Oct. 15. The lineup includes home decor and pajamas, along with a Swarovski crystal ornament set and a snow globe.
October takes a bigger share of holiday budgets
Holiday budgets are moving into October along with the merchandise. The same survey found that shoppers are likely to spend 28% of their holiday budgets by the end of October, the highest share in six years. The results also show that 22% of respondents plan to start earlier than last year.
Early shoppers cite affordability
Holiday shoppers tie their early start to money. In an Oct. 1-7 survey of 8,094 adults, 43% of holiday shoppers said they plan to begin browsing and buying before November, in line with last year.
Half of those early shoppers want to spread out their holiday budgets, and 37% say the prices and promotions are too good to pass up. Allison Zeller, vice president of industry and consumer insights at the National Retail Federation, said, “With affordability top of mind, holiday shoppers are taking a thoughtful approach to spending, balancing value with preserving traditions that make the holiday season special.”
Phil Rist, executive vice president of strategy at Prosper Insights & Analytics, which conducted the survey, said, “From getting an early start to waiting for major deals and promotions, consumers are choosing when to shop based on what works best for them.” Rist added that even with a significant portion of shoppers beginning before November, many “still plan to take advantage of deals and promotions during Thanksgiving weekend to make progress on their holiday shopping.”
Holiday spending keeps climbing
The National Retail Federation forecasts that retail sales in November and December will grow 4.2% over 2025 to $1.013 trillion. The trade group also expects retailers to hire between 325,000 and 375,000 seasonal workers.
The average household plans to spend $1,654 this season, up 4% from last year, according to the survey of 4,000 consumers. Shoppers expect to put more of that money toward retail goods and less toward holiday activities.
Natalie Martini, vice chair and U.S. retail and consumer products sector leader at Deloitte, said Gen Z and millennials make up half of expected holiday spending, a first for the firm’s annual survey. “Retailers that respond effectively may be better positioned to earn these shoppers’ spending this holiday season,” Martini said. Brian McCarthy, retail strategy leader at Deloitte, said, “Holiday shoppers are not looking for a one-size-fits-all experience.”
Shoppers still set their own start date
An October display of holiday trees does not set a deadline for anyone. Stores help decide when the season opens, but shoppers choose which sales to join and which to skip. Anyone who wants the holidays to wait can let the early decor pass and buy when it suits their budget.
Jennifer Allen is a retired professional chef and long-time writer. Her work appears in dozens of publications, including MSN, Yahoo, The Washington Post and The Seattle Times. These days, she’s busy in the kitchen developing recipes and traveling the world, and you can find all her best creations at Cook What You Love.