Walk into a Sears store and you might become a bit confused. The retailer typically puts up its Christmas displays on November 1st, but this year, it’s hoping to make its customers think about the holiday — and spending — a bit sooner: they’re already putting up their Christmas displays.

A little much? Oh, yeah. And it apparently has a name: the Christmas Creep.

Seeing Christmas decorations in July isn’t going to make me start thinking about how much I can spend. It‘s going to remind me how much I have to save over the next several months to be able to spend something on Christmas gifts.

An earlier reminder, after all, does not equal more money in one’s pocket.

Sears and Kmart stores (which are now the same company) are also trying to bank on their layaway plans. Buy now, pay a little along. Better than a credit card, at least, because there’s no interest. But you still have to be able to afford the payments.

Christmas Creep strikes me as more of a reminder that it’s likely to be a Blue Christmas this year. And yes, I hope I’m wrong.