Christmas may be in the minds of retailers all year round – it is the biggest sales event of the year by far, after all – but when do shoppers start planning for it? Sooner than you might think: 47% start planning the big Christmas shop in early December; 28% do so in November and 16% start even earlier. That’s why it’s crucial to get people in the mood with seasonal packaging, limited-edition flavours and in-store displays before the festivities start in earnest. Christmas starts with rituals, and for almost half [49%] of shoppers that moment is putting up the tree.