I recall with shock and awe the first day I arrived in Texas for the Fall Season only to find the Christmas decorations and wrapping paper already on the shelves. This was the first of October, mind you, and Halloween hadn't even made its own scary appearance. 

It used to be people went out and got a few bags of candy for the Trick-or-Treaters and called it good. Nowadays, there are huge yard displays of every type and imagination including giant inflatable haunted houses and spooks.

But the rush past that and onto the Christmas Season seems to be coming earlier each year and I fully expect it to start earlier and earlier until the sales offered today are for the Christmas a year and a half later.