AREA SHOPPING GEARS UP FOR FINAL 17 DAYS

The tinkle of the Salvation Army bell-ringer. The ring of the cash register. The grumble of shoppers as they hunt for parking places or lug another shopping bag back to the car.

These are the sounds of the Christmas shopping season, and with only 17 shopping days left, the volume level is going to be increasing.

Darlene Seyer and her daughters made a run on Target Saturday afternoon and came out laden with bags.

Darlene Seyer, who lives in Chaffee, said her Christmas shopping is going "slow."

"It just seems to be more crowded," she said. "It seems like they started everything earlier this year and they're still shopping."

This year she's buying clothes, jewelry and furniture -- more "practical" items.

"My daughters are older so I don't have to buy toys," she said.

"The Christmas Barbies are really hot this year," said her daughter, Stephanie Seyer, who lives in Cape. "They're really nice, and I know they're hard to get."

Vickie Cook of Jackson is trying to teach her family the real spirit of Christmas.

"We always find somebody to help in a kind way," she said. "My son, he's 23, he's started doing it on his own, and my daughters are learning it, too."

Cook doesn't especially enjoy shopping for Christmas, "but my kids kind of expect it."

"If Christmas was what it was supposed to be, it would be wonderful. But it's not, and that's the sad thing," she said.

Area retailers say they're happy with the shopping season so far.

"It's picked up quite a bit," said Greg Gallaher, executive team leader at Target. "It comes in spurts. People come before and after lunch. It's been really busy today."

The president of the Downtown Merchants Association said Christmas is pretty merry in downtown Cape Girardeau.

"I haven't really gotten away from here long enough to talk to anybody," said Judith Anne Lang, owner of Judith Anne's. "But from what I have heard, it's going really well."

Business is better this Christmas for downtown merchants, she said.

"Last year, it seemed like they started out really slow," Lang said. "This year they have been out and they have been shopping, and downtown has been busier overall. It's been good."