CHICAGO - October has just begun, but the countdown to the holidays is already in full swing. Some retailers are even counting down the 100 days to Christmas. Why all the fuss?

"You're right to notice that the landscape of holiday shopping is changing because this year is very different from recent years and years prior," said Bruce McClary, with the National Foundation for Credit Counseling .

What they're saying:

McClary referenced the 100-day shopping countdowns seen in some store ads. He said it's something brought on by consumer demand and retailer needs.

"So on the consumer side, there are studies out there that show that about one in three consumers have asked for a holiday shopping season to start in October or earlier," McClary said. "And on the retail side, the retailers a

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