People doing last minute shopping on Christmas Eve – KCRG

People doing last minute shopping on Christmas Eve – KCRG

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) -The pandemic didn’t stop some people from doing another holiday tradition. Last minute shopping. Shoppers were out at Lindale Mall in Cedar Rapids. Some shoppers say it felt less crowded this year, and the atmosphere felt different.

“It’s a lot less crowded,” said shopper Drake Bishop. “But it’s also a little bit less lively than what it used to be.”

Michelle Ehr has a good reason to come into Lily and Rose Floral Studio in Marion to do some last minute shopping.

“I actually contracted Covid and I was off for the last ten days,” she said. “So today is my only day for last minute gifts that I needed, that I was in quarantine.”

Thankfully, the hospice worker has recovered. Now she’s turning her attention to helping small businesses

“Shopping local is the best thing this year,” she said. “Just because of everything that’s been going on.:

Lily and Rose Floral Studio owner Lora Dodd-Brosseau says the lack of events and the derecho has slowed down her flower business. There’s hasn’t been much foot traffic there. Luckily, flowers can make for a good contact less gift during the holidays.

“People don’t want to go out or they can’t see relatives and friends and friends so they send flowers,” she said. “Deliveries have been really good so this last week have been brisk.”

She has a method of letting customers see the flowers before purchasing. “People will call and they will kind of give me some information on what they are looking for, and I take pictures,” she said. “And then send them the pictures, and then they pick.”

Ehr is happy to be out of quarantine, but she also feels like this year feels different. “It doesn’t even feel like Christmas this year,” she said.

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Published at Thu, 24 Dec 2020 20:47:00 +0000