Holiday progamming in November now?

[kramie13]

Last Friday, November 23, CBS aired Frosty the Snowman and Frosty Returns, while ABC aired Santa Claus is Coming to Town, and NBC aired How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

Last night, November 26, ABC aired The Great Christmas Light Fight.

Tonight, November 27, CBS is airing Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.

Tomorrow, November 28, NBC is airing the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting.

Thursday, November 29, ABC is airing Olaf's Frozen Adventure, Toy Story that Time Forgot, and "The Wonderful World of Disney: Magical Holiday Celebration".

By my count, that's 10.5 hours of Christmas/holiday programming on ABC/CBS/NBC, ALL while the calendar still reads "November." Now I love Christmas and don't want to sound like a Grinch, but all this holiday content is a bit too early for me. Can't they wait until December 1 to air all this? Advent doesn't even start until December 2!

 

[Mr Tony]

Last Friday, November 23, CBS aired Frosty the Snowman and Frosty Returns, while ABC aired Santa Claus is Coming to Town, and NBC aired How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

Last night, November 26, ABC aired The Great Christmas Light Fight.

Tonight, November 27, CBS is airing Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.

Tomorrow, November 28, NBC is airing the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting.

Thursday, November 29, ABC is airing Olaf's Frozen Adventure, Toy Story that Time Forgot, and "The Wonderful World of Disney: Magical Holiday Celebration".

By my count, that's 10.5 hours of Christmas/holiday programming on ABC/CBS/NBC, ALL while the calendar still reads "November." Now I love Christmas and don't want to sound like a Grinch, but all this holiday content is a bit too early for me. Can't they wait until December 1 to air all this? Advent doesn't even start until December 2!

CBS is re-airing Rudolph, Frosty and Frosty returns on Dec 8th

 

[TheBigA]

Once again, people are starting to do their Christmas shopping earlier. They're talking about Christmas earlier. Christmas music is on the radio. The minute we're done with Thanksgiving, Santa is at the mall. So why wait for December to run Christmas shows?

Plus as pointed out above, you can always repeat your specials as we get closer to the holiday.

Not just the broadcast networks too. Do you watch the Food Network? It's all about preparing for the holidays. Watch Nickelodeon? It's all about Christmas. Yes folks, it's time for Christmas.

 

[KML0224]

Thanksgiving was at its earliest possible point this year: November 22nd. Next year, it'll be at its latest: November 28th.

The Newington, CT Walmart I go to put up their company-mandated Christmas tree by Customer Service on OCTOBER 27TH.

We live in a world where retail starts putting out Halloween related crap at the end of August. McDonald's started plugging their Pumpkin Spice McCafe type drinks one year at that time. TV advertisers go into full-blown Christmas mode the moment the clock strikes midnight to become November 1st. Back To School ads never used to air until August. Now they start the moment the last firecracker is lit on the 4th Of July.

No Boxing Day in the United States. The moment the calendar reads December 26th? "Gotta put up the Valentine's Day displays!"

 

[seatownmedia]

Thanksgiving was at its earliest possible point this year: November 22nd. Next year, it'll be at its latest: November 28th.

The Newington, CT Walmart I go to put up their company-mandated Christmas tree by Customer Service on OCTOBER 27TH.

We live in a world where retail starts putting out Halloween related crap at the end of August. McDonald's started plugging their Pumpkin Spice McCafe type drinks one year at that time. TV advertisers go into full-blown Christmas mode the moment the clock strikes midnight to become November 1st. Back To School ads never used to air until August. Now they start the moment the last firecracker is lit on the 4th Of July.

No Boxing Day in the United States. The moment the calendar reads December 26th? "Gotta put up the Valentine's Day displays!"

Yes, but it all has to do with marketing and extending revenue seasons. The power of the dollar is much more important than being "properly seasonal". That said, I tune most of it out. I spent too many years programming and playing Christmas music from Thanksgiving to Christmas to even remotely listen to it in November, (or December for that matter), but I am not the normal consumer. The down-side perhaps is the seasonal lengthening from Halloween to Christmas does make some consumers numb to it all. However, that doesn't seem to be cutting into the retailers record profits at this point. And that is the end-game.

 

[TheBigA]

The down-side perhaps is the seasonal lengthening from Halloween to Christmas does make some consumers numb to it all.

Only to those who would be numb to it if it was just for one week. Women love this time of year. Almost as much as they love wedding planning.

 

[crainbebo]

I don't mind the 'after-Thanksgiving' Christmas programming, music and sales. The holiday season has begun. But as for the rest of the year, Halloween stuff started popping up in stores in late August, and TV ads in late September. Back-to-school was a little later this year than last year - ads started about 5 days after Independence Day, but in 2017 I saw back to school ads in late JUNE!!
Of course, once 12/26 comes...after-Christmas sales and getting ready for the ball drop.

 

[umfan]

I think those become fair game after Thanksgiving, which was the earliest it can possibly be this year. That, more than anything else likely explains why these shows are airing earlier than usual.

Conversely, next year Thanksgiving is as late as it can be, November 28th, so these shows will likely air in early December.

 

[kramie13]

Do you watch the Food Network? It's all about preparing for the holidays. Watch Nickelodeon? It's all about Christmas. Yes folks, it's time for Christmas.

My "rant" was focused on the broadcast networks. Cable networks are a different animal, since its content you pay for via cable, satellite, or streaming service. The Hallmark Channel starts airing Christmas movies round the clock in late October, BEFORE Halloween!

 

[anotherguyTN]

Freeform started showing Christmas movies on Nov. 1.

 

[firepoint525]

I don't mind the 'after-Thanksgiving' Christmas programming, music and sales. The holiday season has begun. But as for the rest of the year, Halloween stuff started popping up in stores in late August, and TV ads in late September. Back-to-school was a little later this year than last year - ads started about 5 days after Independence Day, but in 2017 I saw back to school ads in late JUNE!!
Of course, once 12/26 comes...after-Christmas sales and getting ready for the ball drop.

Of course, you have got to realize that we have year-round schools now, unlike when we were in school. When I was in school, I never saw any back-to-school ads until late July. (Which was, of course, early enough for me!) But now, school starts back as early as Aug. 1 in some school systems. So needless to say, back-to-school sales will be pushed back a bit as well.

As far as Christmas programming goes, it IS after Thanksgiving now, so it's fair game. Many of the shows mentioned here WILL air again as it gets closer to Christmas. What I am noticing is that many of the networks have now had "fall finales" of some of their shows, and some shows have already gone into reruns. I have a feeling that some of this Christmas programming is used as filler to prevent having to air TOO many reruns of existing shows. Seems like now would be a good time for mid-season replacements, but apparently, those don't start until January.