I can only speak about last year because I have been on LOA for 3 1/2 months, but there was also a limitation as to the type of items you could put on layaway last year. I know it was Electronic items, Bicycles (can't remember other items) and there was a minimum dollar value of items put in layaway. Our Jewelry Department has layaway all year long. I liked it much better when Layaway was all year round. But I can understand why they limited it to the 3 months before Christmas. Maybe that website will give you all the information you need.