Jordan Beck | Daily Press Gladstone resident Katy Wery shops for a gift for her mother at Positively! in Escanaba Monday.

ESCANABA — Today is Christmas Eve, but some people in the area were still finishing up — or had just started — their Christmas shopping as of Monday.

At the Meijer store in Escanaba, Debie Brunette of Flat Rock was looking for card games and other stocking stuffers for her grandchildren.

“I’m just wrapping up … just odds and ends for their Christmas stockings,” she said.

She started her Christmas shopping in November.

Brunette said she was excited for Christmas, and was getting ready for her family to visit her home for the holiday.

“We’ve got most of our food already bought and prepared — it’ll be a good Christmas,” she said.

Tim Berg of Rapid River was searching for gifts for his nephew at Meijer Monday.

“(I’m) trying to figure out what I can get a kid that has everything,” he said.

According to Berg, he usually begins his Christmas shopping a “day or two before.” This typically works out well for him.

“I don’t care to shop much, though,” he said.

Rapid River resident Jill Gustafson was looking for a plastic welding kit at the Menards store in Escanaba.

“My 17-year-old son wants one, and I cannot find it anywhere,” she said.

Gustafson was also buying ornaments, toys and other gifts at Menards. However, she noted she starts her Christmas shopping during the summer.

“I don’t finish until Christmas Eve, but I have seven kids and 11 grandkids,” she said.

Jim Hall of Escanaba was at Menards to put the finishing touches on his Christmas gifts.

“(I’m) looking for some wrapping paper for my wife’s present,” he said.

He said he started shopping a “couple weeks ago” and had finished buying gifts as of Monday.

Hall planned to give his grandchildren cash.

“They get what they want that way,” he said.

Area residents shopped at smaller stores in Escanaba on Monday, as well — including Sayklly’s Confectionery & Gifts. There, Connie Belanger of Escanaba was buying turtles, which she called her “traditional treat.”

Belanger said she is not a last-minute shopper for the most part.

“I try not to be,” she said, noting she started shopping for Christmas right after Thanksgiving.

However, she intentionally waits to buy turtles.

“I just save Sayklly’s for last, because I just want the candy to be as fresh as possible,” Belanger said.

At Positively!, Gladstone resident Katy Wery was looking for an unexpected gift for her mother.

“I want something that’s just a total surprise,” she said.

According to Wery, she shops “all year long” for Christmas gifts.

“It’s my favorite time of year — I love giving,” she said.