Amazon, Costco, Target, Walmart and other retailers begin their holiday sales as early as October.

But there’s no need to rush to buy wool scarves, fuzzy throw blankets and the other holiday gifts on your list the second you spot some tinsel while shopping.

As a finance professor who studies how people and companies make financial decisions, I can explain why the holiday shopping season starts so early: It can help retailers attract more customers while allowing cash-strapped shoppers to stretch purchases out across multiple paychecks. And, for people with deeper pockets, buying gifts early can help them avoid the stress that goes with last-minute shopping.

Why retailers get such an early start

Estimates for spending on holiday gifts, decor and the like between late 2026 and January 2027 range from about US$1 trillion to $1.7 trillion in the U.S.

Some 29% of Americans plan to shell out their share of those large sums in early to mid-December this holiday season, while 17% will shop on Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, according to the Bank of America Holiday Spending survey.

But many people like to shop for holiday gifts early – meaning before........

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