With stores starting their Christmas sales in October and radio stations playing Christmas music before Thanksgiving, 72% of Americans say the joyous holiday season now comes too early.

Just 22% disagree, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. Six percent (6%) are undecided.

While 76% of men think the holiday season is upon us too soon these days, only 67% of women agree. Twenty-seven percent (27%) of women don't think the Christmas season comes too early, compared to 17% of men.

Those over 40 are more likely than younger adults to say the Christmas season starts too soon. Those with higher incomes also think the season has gotten too long.

In a survey last December, 64% of adults said the holiday season should focus more on the birth of Jesus, too. But 91% of adults planned to celebrate Christmas in some form or another.

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For retailers, however, it may not matter how long the shopping season lasts this year: 66% of Americans say that they plan to spend less on the holidays this year than they did a year ago. Consumer confidence is near record lows and 40% of small business owners expect lower sales this year.

Sixty-seven percent (67%) of all adults also say the Thanksgiving holiday now gets lost in the holiday season. Just 26% disagree.

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