STROUDSBURG, Pa. — With candy cane, marshmallow, and winter in the Poconos-themed candles, Pocono Soap on North 7th Street in Stroudsburg is ready for its biggest shopping day of the year.
"We are so excited," said Amanda Beam, Pocono Soap's general manager. "This is the busiest day of the year for us, Small Business Saturday."
Beam says she always makes sure she has enough inventory to get her through the weekend.
"We pretty much started months and months ago. We started making candles and soap," Beam said. "In retail, December is the biggest month of the year, so it takes us a long time, but that's because we make everything."
But even if you don't make everything, the setup that goes into getting a store ready for the start of the holiday shopping season takes time.
Judy Henry is the manager of The Potting Shed in the borough. She just unboxed her last order for the holiday weekend.
"I try to have the store set up for November 1. It's usually a push because we do believe in the fall; we don't want to push fall out. So, we want everyone to have a happy Thanksgiving and enjoy the season, and then by the end of November, we are set and ready to go with all of Christmas."
The shops aren't the only ones ready for the upcoming weekend. The borough of Stroudsburg is preparing as well.
The halls are decked along Main Street and in Courthouse Square.
It's all to help draw people to Stroudsburg on Black Friday to start Christmas shopping early ahead of an annual tradition.
"We have our tree lighting ceremony, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Courthouse Square. We have the biggest tree we've ever had. It's absolutely beautiful. Our public works department did a great job. There's going to be a live band playing, and I heard there's going to be a certain jolly gentleman from the North Pole making an appearance also," said Borough Manager Larry Kopp.
Businesses say if you need a reason to shop small this holiday season, here it is.
"It helps keep the money local," Henry said. "It helps pay for the taxes and everything in the area. You're supporting local families who work here as well as local businesses."
Many of the stores are offering holiday deals and giveaways from Friday through Monday to encourage people to shop local.