So long summer. Hello Christmas?

Sorry, summer-lovers.

Your favorite season still has a few days to go, at least according to the calendar. And baseball, the classic summer sport, still grabs headlines, with both teams in the pennant race (did I just write that?).

But look around the suburbs, and you're likely to see these and other telltale signs that the hazy, lazy days of summer are so last season.

• Bears fever is back: Last week, the Chicago Bears diverted our attention from the Cubs and White Sox with their surprising (and convincing) win over Peyton Manning and his Indianapolis Colts. Needless to say, some fans are already thinking Super Bowl.

• Blockbusters, on the small screen: Remember when "Iron Man" ruled the box office? How about "Sex and the City"? These and other hits from the summer movie season will be arriving on DVD in the coming weeks. ("Sex" and "Iron Man" will lead the way on Sept. 23 and Sept. 30, respectively.)

• The "season" of Halloween: Halloween used to be one day. Now it's a full-fledged season, with costumes and candy going on sale in August and Halloween-related events held throughout September. The Illinois Bureau of Tourism has even come up with a name for this phenomenon: "Fall-O-Ween," the state's "fifth season." Go to www.enjoyillinois.com for details.

• Let the shopping begin: Forget Halloween, which is more than a month away; some stores have already unveiled their Christmas items! Doesn't it feel kind of icky to see lights, ornaments and trees in the stores when it's still warm enough to wear shorts?

• Salty situation: Local governments throughout the suburbs are already scrambling to acquire an adequate amount of road salt to keep traffic moving during future snowstorms. Wait a minute ... snow? What's that?