Area shoppers kicked off the holiday season Saturday inBrookhaven and Monticello with community events for the wholefamily.

People gathered at stores across Brookhaven for the yearlyChristmas Open House, where around 40 area businesses decorated forChristmas and offered door prizes and sales.

Wesson’s Kelly Earls and her 9-month-old daughter Laney Kateattended the open house with friends from the Madison area.

Earls said they had seen a lot of good gifts and exciting buys, butthat they had a one-track mind as they browsed Just Kiddin’, thenew toy store on Railroad Avenue.

“We’re liking the toys right now,” said Earls. “And we got to seeMojo the Monkey and Cassie the Cat get off the train.”

Sunday Holmes of Madison, who was shopping with Earls, said she wasexcited to be knocking out her Christmas gifts early.

“And I even brought all my friends,” she said excitedly of thegroup of women she was with.

Earls said she’s glad the Christmas season has finally arrived, asit will be Laney Kate’s first Christmas.

“It’s just so much fun watching her face, she’s amazed at all thelights and colors,” she said. “And I love to see all the Christmasstuff out too. It really makes it feel like Christmas time.”

Earlier in the day in Lawrence County, Jingle Bell Jubilee, one ofits Monticello Marketplace events, featured local crafts and treatsto attract visitors. Also, there were more vendors than organizersremember having in the past.

Broad Street was closed from the civic center to the CourthouseSquare much of the day to allow shoppers to peruse the localbusinesses and the vendor booths along the way.

Jeannie Alford, of Monticello, said she’s been coming to the eventfor years and feels it’s a great way to kick off the Christmasseason.

“It gets everyone in the Christmas spirit and lets us get ourshopping done,” she said. “I’m about to go buy my futuredaughter-in-law one of these purses over here.”

Besides giving local store owners a chance to dress up their shopsfor Christmas and showcase their wares, it gave shoppers the chanceto browse through all sorts of potential gifts.

Monticello’s Bradley and Elizabeth Wright and their 2-year-olddaughter Tarah watched personalized Christmas ornaments beingpainted while Tonda Valladares of Magee and her Great Dane, Jade,manned a booth to promote microchips for dogs.

“I had heard about this event on the news and that there was goingto be a dog contest, and I’m always glad to go where people andtheir pets gather,” said Valladares.