Yuletide retail, spirit jumps hpliday gun

Students are complaining about Christmas—not the holiday itself, but its timing: Each year the season seems to hit stores earlier.

Sophomore Marisa Ferenchick got a job at JCPenney for the holiday rush. When she walked into the mall for her first day of training in early November, she immediately noticed the brightly colored decorations that covered every department. "The mall is already filled with Christmas stuff," she said. "It's everywhere."

But JCPenney is not the only store to set up early. Target, Macy's and Kohl's are also decked out for the holiday season, and with holiday decorations comes seasonal music. New or old, shoppers can hear it blasting through the mall—and television ads.

Sophomore Tamara Bradley wanted to spend quality time at the Wyoming Valley Mall with her mother one weekend in early November. They walked into Hollister without the yuletide season in mind when they were bombarded with holiday tunes.

"I wasn't expecting to hear Christmas music that early," she said. "It really put me in the holiday spirit though and I'm usually not a big fan of Christmas before Thanksgiving." But after that spurt of cheery feelings the holiday spirit immediately wore off after she realized how far away Christmas still was. "It was like a tease."

Shoppers seek deep discounts, door busters and giveaways on Black Friday, a time when the music is merry—and money saving is on the mind. While some students get most of their shopping done on this hectic day, others try to spread it out and look for deals throughout December.

Ferenchick is one who likes to finish on Black Friday, but she sometimes finds it difficult to find items for certain family members or friends. "It's hard," she said. "Even though the sales are good they aren't on things that college students would buy. It's usually aimed at the bigger items like TVs and iPods."

First year Bryan Hickey does the opposite. He cuts it close and waits until Christmas Eve to begin. Tradition drives his strategy: He goes out in search for the perfect gifts with his dad and sister. "I feel like Black Friday shopping is something you have to experience at least once."

This season marks earlier store opening times, earlier than the usual five or six a.m. Target, Macy's and Kohl's are opening at 12 a.m., squeezing in every last bit of shopping for bargain hunters. These stores are just a few of the retailers that are already advertising holiday deals and discounts.

One business that keeps the holiday season out of its store fronts until after Thanksgiving is Nordstrom. The retailer has no plans to cave. Its stores are strictly garland and light free until Thanksgiving has passed.

First year Anthony Sergio thinks Thanksgiving is just a beginning stage to the Christmas madness that begins with Black Friday. "Thanksgiving is there so you can eat early and sleep so then you can go out and shop."

Gift-Giving Strategies

Students have enough to worry about with finals, packing and saying goodbye to friends without the stress of holiday shopping added into the mix. Some students have simple ways of keeping calm in the holiday rush.

Putting money and ideas together with friends or family to buy someone a group gift is what helps sophomore Kirsten Fisher save cash. When it comes to buying for her parents, she usually collaborates with her siblings for something they can splurge on as a group.

"When we all go in together on a gift it seems to save me the most money and when it's from all of us I think it means a little something more than just little things from each of us," she said. "And it definitely makes it easier to shop."

Both Fisher and Ferenchick think setting limits on how much to spend is important. They put aside certain amounts of money to keep them on budget and prevent the added stress of coming up short.

Sergio plans for each specific gift. "It seems easier to me so then when I go out I know what I'm looking for, I have something in mind."

Some students use other strategies, which include online shopping. Sophomore Shauna Quirk gets most of her holiday shopping done from the comfort of her own home. "Things seem to be cheaper than they are in the stores."

Another bonus to buying online during the holiday season is that most stores offer free shipping. "I think that it's easier than going out and not finding the right size or color in something and having to turn around and come home anyway to buy it online. It just seems easier," she said.