HAZLE TOWNSHIP -- Christmas is only 102 days away and a mall near Hazleton is getting ready to spread the holiday cheer.
Between storewide sales and hiring sheets on store fronts, it looks like Christmas is right around the corner. Some stores in Laurel Mall near Hazelton are already getting started.
At Provost Shoes, owner John Provost says they are expecting large crowds for the holiday.
"We are expecting a lot more foot traffic in the mall," said Provost. "Our employees are excited. They are going to have extra hours but they'll be ready to handle the crowds that we will get."
Laurel Mall business development manager Rocco Arruzzo tells Newswatch 16 the mall just announced holiday hours to the stores earlier this week.
"I always say, once the Bloomsburg Fair, after the Bloomsburg Fair, it's Christmas time. you got Halloween but right into Christmas," said Arruzzo.
Last year, stores hired 375 temporary employees. With no empty stores this year, officials are expecting to hire more than 400.
"I am going to say it. The Laurel Mall is 100 percent filled, and that doesn't count for our Christmas vendors come in and the common area will be completely filled this year," Arruzzo said.
Boscov's has already seen applications to work during the holidays and are expecting even more to come through.
"We are going to have a big job fair coming up so probably in October they will be looking for our advertisements, but if they are interested, we always take job interest forms," said store manager Kim Gormley.
Now with even less time to get ready for Christmas, you might want to start before the lines get too long.