It's only the end of September, yet I was oddly horrified to spot some chocolate bars already sporting holiday season festivities. For a split second I considered this was an attempt to palm off some old stock... Until I realised that Yuletide marketing is just stepping up its game and launching earlier than ever. Gone are the days when you'd only have to bop to the sounds of "Little Drummer Boy" being played on repeat at local shopping malls for a mere month before the actual event. Last year, the decorations were creeping in round mid-October, and with any luck, next year I'll be able to celebrate the seasonal launch along with my birthday in August. But I have to hand it to those marketing heads, they know what's good for them and they know how to reach top-of-mind early. And if the economists are right, it's not going to be a very festive season this year, and at the top of the consumer's meagre shopping hit-list is where every retailer wants to be. So break out the bells and whistles, candy canes and sleighs - the race is on. And happy October, everyone!

Shan Radcliffe, Retail editor retailnews@bizcommunity.com Responses to this column welcomed in our new online editor's column archive.