While I was a witless, I used to hear all the time that they start putting up Halloween and Christmas decorations earlier every year. They always complained that the stores were selling these items earlier every year, and that it was getting "worse" every year.
Now that I am an apostate, I no longer see that. On my way to work on Columbus Day weekend, I saw a grand total of three houses lit for Halloween, with 18 having any decorations whatsoever. You can't tell me that was earlier than ever. Not only that, but even now less than 10% of the houses are lit and maybe 30% decorated for Halloween. This time a few years ago, there were maybe 50% lit. Plus, what ever happened to those orange pumpkin trash bags that you fill up with leaves?
Sales of Christmas decorations was also behind schedule this year. They didn't get any of the decorations on the shelves until the week after Columbus Day, which is a week or so behind last few years. I have yet to see any decent tinsel garland for sale anywhere. People also do not seem to be buying Christmas decorations this year like they were last--I was responsible for probably 90% of all the sales of Christmas items so far.
I wonder if, at this rate, maybe 5% of the houses will have Christmas lights that can be seen from the street by Dec 15 and maybe 20% on Christmas Eve. Before, when I was a Witless, maybe 90% of all houses had Christmas lights that could be seen from the streets, and that was before LED lights became common enough for the average person to use them. For sure, I hope that doesn't mean that people are becoming Jehovah's Witlesses in the area.