One of the many good things about traveling is that it gives you a new perspective on home. For example, in the US I often hear complaints about how awful it is (and how dreadfully “American”) that the stores all start “Christmas shopping” so early.
In Stockholm, Christmas got started when October ended. And, here in Copenhagen, outdoor Christmas markets have been open for business since mid-November.
So the US is not the only place on our planet where storekeepers look forward to Christmas with all the eagerness of five-year-olds longing for Santa.