It’s beginning to sound a lot like Christmas

Don’t blink – or you’ll miss the holiday in between Halloween and Jesus’ birthday. Thanksgiving turkey hasn’t yet hit dinner (or folding) tables, and Christmas music is already surging.

• “Christmas Hits” was the #1 playlist on Spotify in the US last week, with almost double the streams than this time last year.
• From October 31–November 1, "Christmas Dreaming" by Laufey saw a 1,450% increase in streams, "The Christmas Waltz" by Laufey saw a 1,090% increase, and "Christmas Tree Farm – Old Timey Version" by Taylor Swift experienced a 1,020% increase. Sabrina Carpenter's "white xmas" (+400%) and "buy me presents" (+390%) also saw spikes.

The Christmas Creep is real. A UK analysis found Christmas-themed merchandise, songs, and decorations have been appearing earlier each year since at least 2010. Meanwhile, in the US, Starbucks has already rolled out its 2024 holiday menu, while retailers like Wayfair, Target, and Amazon all held discounted seasonal sales events in October, ahead of Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

🎃 Not just Christmas… Retailers have also been promoting Halloween decor and products earlier each year. In 2024, Home Depot began pushing the holiday as early as April under the banner of “Summerween.”