News Photo by Julie Riddle Bookstore associate Anthony McMath, right, checks out customer Jess Krawczak at Parallel 45 Books and Gifts in Alpena on Wednesday.

ALPENA — A cheerful 19-year-old tended the counter at Parallel 45 Books and Gifts on Wednesday.

Anthony McMath, a lifelong Alpena resident with dreams of becoming an animator for Cartoon Network, gave an enthusiastic tour of his store — “We have the only glass Faygo bottles in town,” he reported — then took a break to talk to The News about Christmas.

WHEN DO YOU START

GETTING IN THE MOOD FOR CHRISTMAS?

I tend to start getting in the mood for Christmas after Thanksgiving. I like to acknowledge that Thanksgiving is an actual holiday, so, up until the day of, I like to be, “Oh, so much food, so much Thanksgivingness.” And then, come Black Friday, Christmastime. When it’s a week from Christmas, that’s when I’m like, “Aaah, holidays!”

DO YOU HAVE BIG PLANS FOR CELEBRATING CHRISTMAS THIS YEAR?

Not so much because, you know (pokes at mask). I plan on hanging out with my friends and their families and doing a little gift exchange with my friends.

DO YOU HAVE FAVORITE CHRISTMAS

TRADITIONS?

My family were just the normal Christamas traditional. We just wake up Christmas morning and go, “Aaw, Christmas!” And then we open presents. Occasionally, we might go out to eat with our other family. I don’t know if we will do that this year. But my favorite would be the anticipation of the presents when I was a kid.

WOULD YOU RATHER GIVE A GIFT OR GET A GIFT?

I tend to give out a lot of gifts. I like to see people happy. I like to get a smile on their face. I would rather give gifts than get. But, getting gifts is just fine, too.

HOW DOES YOUR FAMILY DECORATE FOR CHRISTMAS?

We were lower on the economic scale, so we didn’t do much, but we love to decorate our tree. When we can, we love to decorate our house with lights, not the outside of the house but the inside. We like to put up wreaths and put garland across our staircase railing and our doors. And the Advent calendars with chocolate in them? Yeah, those.

WHAT’S MAKING YOU HAPPY RIGHT NOW?

Particularly this job that I just started. My family is seeming pretty well, so I’m happy about that. My grandmother is safe — that’s what makes me happy, too. It’s just an all-nice feeling around this time of year.