COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – The countdown begins.

There are 75 days until Christmas and some families have already started shopping early.

One Family traveled from Calhoun City to shop in Columbus on October 14.

“We’re off for fall break right now, so I figured I’d better get a few things in right now before everything is gone,” said Coach Darren Coffey of Calhoun City High Basketball.

Coach Coffey said that’s why he and his family started early.

Bank Rate studies show many holiday shoppers start Christmas shopping between August and October.

Many start early to “try to find some good deals and good finds before everything gets too crowded,” said Shadaria Coffey, Coach Coffey’s daughter.

Coach Coffey’s mother, Debra Philips, said for her, it’s about family.

“Well, I have a lot of family and nieces and nephews, and I like to just go shopping for them all year round.”

Some local stores also have been preparing for early Christmas shoppers.

At places like Susan’s Hallmark Shop in Columbus, it pays to shop early.

“From July all the way to December, we’ve got people coming in, but we only get certain ornaments at certain times,” said Sharon Pruitt, an employee at Susan’s Hallmark Shop.

Susan’s Hallmark Shop will have their ornaments up until the end of December.

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