Holiday Prep Starts Early, Survey Confirms

Research and trends from recent years indicate consumers are keeping holiday enthusiasm alive well beyond December. From the Christmas in July trend to the growing habit of putting up festive decor as early as November, the holidays are no longer confined to the final weeks of the year, and retailers are seemingly following suit.

According to new data from B2B wholesale marketplace Faire, the holiday season has evolved into a much longer shopping event. Over the past two years, Faire says there hasn’t been a single day where retailers weren't searching for "Christmas" on its platform, indicating retailers are actively preparing for the holidays to meet increasing consumer demand.

The initial surge in holiday-related searches on Faire began as early as mid-August this year, following a similar pattern to 2023. Comparatively, in 2022, holiday related searches didn’t truly pick up until mid-September.

Faire recently surveyed hundreds of its retailer partners, which revealed that many start purchasing holiday products as soon as the prior season ends, with buying beginning as early as January and February — prepping up to a full year in advance.

Holiday essentials such as ornaments and stocking stuffers are top of mind by the summer, but the bulk of holiday purchasing happens in September and October as retailers get ready for the big season and stock up on the biggest trends from the year, according to a media release on the survey findings.