Really Cracker Barrel? You had to go there?

As I'm paying the check at lunch today, I notice something really disturbing in the window display at the local Cracker Barrel.

Christmas merchandise. And not just one or two knicknacks on clearance, but an entire corner of the store devoted all the red and green Santa shit you could ever want. And it wasn't like they were unpacking boxes. This dsiplay was fully set up and raring to go. After all, it's only August 11. And the high today was only 91. And the first day of school isn't until tommorrow.

Charles Schultz was a prophet.

 

First day of school is tomorrow? It's September 8th in Michigan.

 

why do you hate christmas, dixie?

 

My sisters would love to have that as their start date. They went back last Thursday. Fort Knox schools started a week ago yesterday.

 

I blame soccer

 

I don't know about Dixie, but I kinda sorta do hate it.

 

Hallmark laughs. They unveiled their Christmas ornaments last month.

 

I told everyone I knew about my Cracker Barrel experience, but they didn't believe me.

July 30. Hot as hell. I'm working part time at the CB and as I walk in to start my shift, I see Halloween crap all over the place.

"Damn," I told the retail manager. "Not even August and we're already neck-deep in Halloween?"

"You think that's something," she said, "the next truck's gonna have the first Christmas merchandise."

Oh, ha ha ha.

August 2. Hotter than hot hell. I walk in to pick up my check, step into the retail store and ... holy. shit. A lit-up Christmas tree, right in the middle of the store. Trinkets all around it. Manager's like "see, told you so." Three trees up by the end of the week.

I'm shocked they waited as long as they did to pull the trigger this season.

Sidenote: I don't recall seeing any Christmas in July sales/ads/promotions this year. Did I miss them? Do They Know It's Christmas In July Time?

 

I think the thread title, with a little different punctuation, is the proper response: "Really? Cracker Barrel? You had to go there?"

I mean, was there no Denny's around?

 

When I saw the title of this thread, I thought this topic was going to be moved to the Politics board.

 

Not really a surprise.

Walgreens has been getting Halloween candy since about mid-July. They've started putting it on the shelves in the last week.

They've also started to get Thanksgiving (which isn't much really) and Christmas deliveries from their warehouse.

 

Ate at Cracker Barrel for the first time two week ago... stopped outside Binghamton, NY on my way to Canada.

Totally unimpressive meal.