'Absolute joke' that Christmas decorations already up in Sheffield shops

Even though we are only in October with Halloween and Bonfire Night still a few weeks away, many shops have already started displaying yuletide illuminations and started pushing out Christmas promotions.

There is even a specialised ‘Christmas Shop’ that has opened in the Fargate shopping precinct.

We took to Facebook to ask Star readers when they think shops should start stocking Christmas gifts, and we had more than 100 replies.

The responses gave an insight into people’s shopping habits – with one reader even detailing how they take advantage of the New Year sales and start their Christmas shopping on January 2.

Some people said the Christmas shopping season should start in earnest after Bonfire Night on November 5.

Dean Holland posted that it is an “absolute joke that Christmas decorations have been in the shops since the beginning of September.”

Rachel Earnshaw said shops should start selling festive goods on November 6 “when bonfire night is over, that’s plenty of time to stock shelves and buy your Christmas stuff.”

Another reader agreed and said: “After Bonfire Night, a lot is out now which means people will be sick of Christmas by the time it comes around.”

But Denise Granger was of the opinion that “money is tight for a lot of people. Putting it out early allows people to budget and buy bits at a time instead of all at once leaving them short.”

Another read said they start their Christmas shopping on January 2 and added: “I lie not. I start buying in the sales for the following year.”

Leanne Fearn added: “I like to have all my Christmas shopping done before December, so that I can enjoy December without the stress of queuing endlessly in shops.”