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As the holiday season begins, consumers can’t help but notice the gap between Halloween and Christmas becoming smaller and smaller.
According to the National Retail Federation, $28 billion will be spent on Christmas gifts this year, which means each American will spend around $536. The NRF also estimated 20 percent of Americans began holiday shopping in September, and that percentage was expected to double by Halloween. This might leave some wondering who is to blame for the phenomenon known as Christmas Creep.

Carol Bamford, vice president for marketing and communications, said the answer is really pretty simple.

“Christmas is by far the biggest retail season of the year,” Bamford said. “The earlier retailers get people excited and spending money, the better they’ll do.”

Others said they believe retailers are simply trying to compete with each other to bring in the most revenue as soon as they can. The race to be the first to offer Christmas merchandise is contested by large franchises such as Hobby Lobby, Wal-Mart, Starbucks and Kmart.

“Hobby Lobby put out their stuff like a month ago,” Erin Uhlmeyer, marketing senior, said. “Everything was 40 percent off and I don’t really understand that. It took the place of other things I wanted to buy.”

Hobby Lobby is not alone. Starbucks reintroduced its signature Christmas drinks and red festive cups on Nov. 6, less than a week after Halloween. Wal-Mart started stocking artificial Christmas trees in the garden center around mid-October and Kmart began showing advertisements with wording such as “this is not a Christmas commercial” over the summer in order to promote its holiday layaway option.

Although some have said they are frustrated with the greed of corporations and consumers, others said they don’t mind boarding the Christmas Creep express.

Kenzie Larson, graphic design and marketing senior, said she wouldn’t get to enjoy the decorations in her room unless she puts them up early.

“Well I’ve already decorated my room for Christmas, so I’m glad,” Larson said. “We’re here for like a week after Thanksgiving otherwise.”

Christmas music has started playing over the speakers in the mall and retail stores such as Wal-Mart.

Alex Thomas, business administration senior, works at Jordan Creek Mall and said he expects Christmas to come early every year.

“We started putting Christmas trees out in August and we were considered behind everyone else,” Thomas said.

According to CNBC, millennials are more accustomed to the premature Christmas season, which seems to happen earlier every year. The younger shoppers have grown up with the tradition of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, and they want deals. If early Christmas means more discounts on shopping, millennials are more likely to not mind the Creep. The conversation concerning Christmas Creep will fade out as younger shoppers become the majority.

Target is involved in Christmas Creep. The huge retailer has taken steps to give customers free shipping online with next-day delivery, as well as extending a price match promotion through the holiday season which it defines as Nov. 1- Dec. 24. Target has also launched a “Wish List” app for kids in addition to updating the regular mobile app to make Christmas shopping more convenient.

Whether Christmas Creep makes shoppers Grinches excited for the anticipated holiday, experts have said they are sure the phenomenon won’t change any time soon.