Since when do back-to-school sales start around the 4th of July? Teachers in this area just finished their school year about three weeks ago but the Sunday supplements have been telling us that it’s time to start thinking about going back. I suppose if the stores can start selling Christmas in September and summer clothing in February, they can begin hyping notebooks and rulers a couple of months early. For me though it’s not really the back to school season until the Staples "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year" ad starts running.