Editor's Note: School Bells Giving Way to Sleigh Bells

There's also reason to believe that this year's holiday shopping season will begin earlier than ever. Christmas merchandise arrived at Costco on Aug. 1, and Sears, J.C. Penney, Wal-Mart and other retailers will be pushing holiday goods by the end of September, according to USA Today. Wal-Mart also announced in August that its holiday layaway program is back, this time a month earlier. The program starts on Sept. 16 and runs through Dec. 14.