VALDOSTA – It seems Christmas has arrived downtown.

Businesses in the area have been preparing for the yuletide holiday by decorating their storefronts and offering specialty items.

Staff at the Flower Gallery, which screams holiday spirit with its wall-to-wall decor, spends about two months getting the store ready.

“It is extremely busy during Christmas downtown,” Susan Mullis, Flower Gallery owner, said. “Our ( Downtown Valdosta Main Street) ladies, Ellen and Rachel, do a wonderful job promoting people to shop downtown. I see so many people walking the sidewalks to the stores and eating at our wonderful restaurants. So many people stop in front of our window displays and take pictures, which makes us very proud.”

Her shop sells flowers, ornaments, door wreaths, garlands, ribbon, Santa figurines, angels, plants, decorated trees and gift items.

The Flower Gallery’s neighbor, Cottonwood Market and Boutique, sells similar items and more from local makers.

Samantha Schreiber, Cottonwood owner, said Downtown Valdosta resembles a Hallmark movie each year with residents packing the area, shopping for gifts and decorations.

She said her boutique sees both new and returning customers.

“They know that they can get unique things that they’re not going to find anywhere else but downtown,” Schreiber said.

Angela Crance, owner of Art and Soul, deemed Christmas as the most important season for downtown’s brick-and-mortars.

Her shop sells items from regional artisans such as tea/guest towels, rugs, pillows, placemats, ornaments, jewelry, door hangers furniture and paintings. Gift wrapping is available.

“The increased foot traffic not only generates additional sales but it also generates new customers that hopefully will have such a fun shopping experience that they will come back throughout the year,” Crance said.

For Art and Soul, preparation takes place six months prior to Christmas.

Items are ordered in advance, staff goes through inventory to ensure enough gift merchandise is available and decorating lasts about a week.

“Our goal is to always create a fun experience for our customers,” Crance said. “We want everyone who walks in our beautiful historic building to feel welcomed and valued because they are.”

A holiday open house was recently held in downtown and shop owners say it was the best one yet.

Mullis, who has owned the Flower Gallery for 20 years, said the open house was the largest one in which she’s participated.

Schreiber echoed her sentiment.

“We were actually very shocked at how many people turned out for it,” she said. “It was wonderful. It was a great way to catapult us into the holiday season.”

Crance said the area was “blessed with customers galore, all ready to get into the Christmas spirit.”

Welcoming customers during the holiday season is important for the small business owners, they said.

Schreiber said the holiday sales determine the kind of Christmas her family will experience.

“Whatever type holiday our shops have is what kind of Christmas, probably, our families are going to have; so, it’s (money) not going to a big corporation,” she said. “The people that are working in our stores are actually the people that are benefiting from the shoppers shopping in the stores. Also, we are the ones that are giving back to the community with toy drives.”

This year, Cottonwood is partnering with the Children’s Advocacy Center of Lowndes County to collect toy donations for CAC clients.

Mullis said all of the business owners downtown love the community and are grateful for the support they receive.

“All the downtown shops are very supportive of each other,” she said. “We are all self-employed and support our families and community by being small business owners.”

Call the respective stores for more information about their Christmas happenings.