Claus & Effect

By Melissa August, Harriet Barovick, Autumn DeLeon, Tam Gray, Lina Lofaro, James Poniewozik and Michele Orecklin

ONLY 117 SHOPPING DAYS If it seems Christmas comes sooner every year, blame retailers. According to our Dancing Santa Index--the date on which the stores put out the mechanized Yuletide trinket--the country is suffering from Christmas creep. Mind you, it's consumers' fault too; Hallmark Cards says sales at its Holiday Ornament Premier (in July) were up 44% from 1998.