News Photo by Julie Riddle Employees Brandy Collins and Emilee Wilder reshelve items to keep their store organized during the last-minute Christmas shopping rush at the Alpena Meijer on Sunday.

ALPENA — The final shopping days before Christmas, sometimes known for their rushed frenzy and last-minute exasperation, didn’t live up to their reputation at one store in Alpena.

At Alpena’s Meijer store on Sunday evening, customers and employees reflected on the busy holiday, their words a warm reflection of the season’s messages of giving, peace, and kindness.

Employees Brandy Collins and Emilee Wilder were busy returning unwanted items to the proper shelves. During an extra-busy time for retail stores, keeping the store tidy can be challenging.

“There’s toys lying everywhere,” Wilder exclaimed.

Still, Collins said, there’s no sense in making others anxious by being stressed.

“I embrace the craziness,” Collins said cheerfully. “Why be under pressure and crabby and in a rush? I say spread the cheer.”

Zoe Davis, 10, popping out from her cozy spot on the bottom shelf of a cart as her parents perused the produce section, was quick to share what she likes best about Christmas.

“I like when you can give people stuff,” Davis said.

She and her family gifted some friends with trays of homemade cookies this year, she said, hugging a giant pink puffball of a unicorn she was buying with gift money as she described an assortment of peanut butter buckeyes, gingerbread men, truffles, and other treats.

Asked whether she preferred to give or to receive gifts, Davis was diplomatic.

“Mostly, both,” she said.

It’s nice, at Christmastime, to see people being nice to each other — a niceness that would be pleasant to see all year long, mused Hillman resident Jody Koenig, browsing in the clothing department.

While gifts and giving are a pleasant part of the holiday, there’s only one real reason to celebrate it, Koenig said.

“Because it’s Jesus’s birthday,” she said without hesitation. “That’s what it’s all about.”

Mulling the decision between a cherry and a blueberry pie to bring to Christmas dinner, Shirley and Jeff Diemond, of Alpena, paused in the bakery to talk about holiday traditions.

Not much changes from year to year, the couple said. The holiday is family, dinner, gifts, church.

“You have to have a little carryover from years past,” said Jeff Diemond, balancing a stack of pies. “That’s what tradition’s about, right?”

Some of the details of the holiday do change. Shirley Diemond remembered her youth, when children expected one toy each. Now, the grandkids come to Nana and Papa’s house eager for a stack of presents.

“We have them piled right up,” she said with a laugh.

The traditions of the holiday are part of what makes it endearing, the couple reflected.

Still, Shirley Diemond suggested, there may be room for change, perhaps something as simple as a child choosing one of their own gifts to give to someone less fortunate, that can be a reminder of the giving spirit of the holiday’s origins.

“We could start a new tradition,” she said.”More giving than receiving.”

Julie Riddle can be reached at 989-358-5693, jriddle@thealpenanews.com or on Twitter @jriddleX.