HOLIDAY RUSH JUST AROUND CORNER; RETAILERS, CLUBS DECORATE AS GROUPS PREPARE FOR AREA NEEDY

Although the Thanksgiving holiday has yet to arrive, it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas.

In fact the Yuletide celebration is just 34 days away and people are preparing.

Christmas decorations are popping up all over; holiday light exhibits are in the works; community projects to help the needy are poised to start; and shoppers are already out in force.

Merchants have been decorating and stocking up in anticipation of the busiest shopping season of the year.

At West Park Mall, for example, the Christmas decorations went up last week but holiday shopping has been going on for over a month, said Mall Manager Tony Stephens.

"We've seen a lot of Christmas buying occurring really since mid October," he said. "November looks to be a lot stronger.

"Our outlook is very optimistic," Stephens said. "Year-to-date, this has been a real strong year for us. We expect that to continue through the holidays."

Stephens said shopping areas in metropolitan areas put their Christmas decor up on Nov. 1. But shoppers here like to enjoy fall a little longer.

"That's part of the reason our decor is just now going up," he said. "We think our customers are a little more traditional here."

The mall has a new holiday theme this year, "Especially for You," with life-size historical Santas from around the world.

"The are really fascinating," Stephens said. "We have one from Russia, one from the Far East, and three American depictions of Santa." In all, 12 different Santas are located throughout the mall.

The Friday after Thanksgiving is annually the best shopping day of the year.

"Friday is by far the busiest retail day of the year," Stephens said. "And Saturday is very close in terms of numbers.

"This is the weekend we wait for 51 weeks of the year," Stephens said. "It's a wonderful, wonderful weekend. We just have to figure a way to make the other 51 weekends like that."

He added that a little winter weather would help encourage shoppers.

County light display

The Holiday lights exhibit at Cape Girardeau County Park will be lit Wednesday at 6 p.m. Organizations who provide the light displays have been hard at work.

Beverly Strohmeyer, executive director of the Southeast Missouri Council on the Arts which coordinates the project, expects close to 70 exhibits this year.

"The first year, we had just 11," she said. "Last year we had over 60. We are assuming all the ones from last year will be back, and we have several new ones."

Wednesday's lighting ceremony includes Christmas caroling by Girl Scouts and a brief presentation by Arts Council representatives.

The display will remain up through the first weekend in January. Lights stay on until 11 p.m. or until everyone has left the park.

Holiday of Lights tour

The Holiday of Lights decorating contest and driving tour, started last year, returns this season.

The Beautification Committee of the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce sponsors the contest and tour. Individuals and businesses may enter through Dec. 4. Registration forms are available at Schnucks, Plaza Galleria and the Chamber of Commerce.

On Dec. 7 between 6 and 9:30 p.m. members of the beautification committee will judge all the homes and businesses that have entered to select winners.

In addition, a driving tour route will be mapped out to include as many as possible of the winning homes, decorated neighborhoods and businesses. The map will be published in the Southeast Missourian.

The driving tour will be conducted Dec. 10-12.

Individuals may drive the decorated route or ride one of six shuttle buses available each night of the tour. Buses will depart from Plaza Galleria at 7 p.m. and return at 8:30 p.m. The bus ride costs $1 per person.

All buses will end the tour by driving through the Cape Girardeau County Park and then returning to Plaza Galleria.

Tickets for shuttle buses can be purchased in advance at Schnucks and at Plaza Galleria on tour days.

For information, call the chamber office at 335-3312.

Tree of Lights

The Salvation Army's Tree of Lights is up in preparation of the annual Tree of Lights campaign. This year the army hopes to raise $105,000 to help needy people through the holidays and during the entire year. Mary Ann Maloney of KFVS-12 is serving as the chairman. For information, call 335-7000.

Applications will be accepted beginning Nov. 30 at the Salvation Army headquarters, 701 Good Hope.

Toybox, Christmas for Elderly

Plans for Toybox, the annual project of the Cape Girardeau Jaycees and the Southeast Missourian newspaper, to collect toys for needy children, are under way. The toy collection campaign kicks off Nov. 29. Applications will be accepted beginning Nov. 30 at the Salvation Army office also.

The Christmas for the Elderly holiday program, sponsored by the newspaper and the Cape Girardeau Department of Health, is also gearing up. This program provides holiday gifts for needy elderly residents.

For information about Toybox or Christmas for the Elderly, call the newspaper at 335-6611.