Holiday shopping scrambles retail calendars [Video]

NEW YORK (AP) — After sipping pumpkin spiced lattes in August and putting up Halloween decorations in late September, Samantha Kowalczyk already looks forward to drinking eggnog-flavored coffee and filling her Wilmington, Delaware, home with cinnamon and sugar cookie scented candles and other holiday aromas.

The 30-year-old thinks seasonal flavors and scents should be available year-round. And apparently others feel the same way.

Earlier and earlier holiday shopping promotion

In response to growing customer demand, stores of all stripes, from Bath and Body Works and online holiday decor retailer Balsam Hill to Whole Foods Market and doughnut maker Krispy Kreme, are bringing out their festive collections weeks before the Nov. 1 start of the holiday shopping season.

Inflation-weary shoppers may wait until the first cold snap to buy a sweater or gloves, but when it comes to seeking out deals tied to events like the start of a new school year or limited-time seasonal promotions, a …