Q Talk

[LeaLeander]

It always amazes me how the holiday programming screeches to a halt as soon as it becomes impossible to ship in time for Dec. 24. Same at local retailers -- decorative light strands, ornaments, wraps etc. were picked over and on clearance more than a week ago, as were traditional gift items.

Don't retailers realize that no everyone completes all of their hosting, gift exchanging and other holiday festivities on Dec. 25? I will be seeing people throughout the coming 10 days and have not finished buying for all yet -- there is plenty of time for me to receive shipped items and in fact I have orders pending with Amazon. Same for wrap, decor, food and drink, etc. -- now, when I am home from work on holiday time off, is when I really have moments to concenetrate on this sort of thing and the willingness to spend. Plus, it's kind of a buzzkill to find my local stores already stuffing Christmas clearance goods in a dark corner and bringing in fitness, garden or other generic stuff to fill those shelves. Same with QVC - I did not expect a day of Breezies and purses during Christmas week.

No doubt they have studied the metrics and maybe whatever marginal sales they would get this week from people in a festive mode aren't worth it (or are offset by people tuning out beccause they are "sick of the holidays") -- but on an intangible basis it's a big turnoff. I always wonder the same thing about TV networks like Lifetime and Hallmark and TCM that bring the holiday fare to a halt on Dec. 25 -- don't they know that people often are off work between Christmas and New Year and like to curl up with old favorites that week?