SAULT STE. MARIE -- It's the most wonderful time of the year, and many shopping centres and stores in the Soo are helping people get into the holiday spirit by playing those festive tunes.
Local home décor and gift shop Homespun Treasures is all about creating that atmosphere and began playing Christmas music on November 1.
"We do get a lot of comments on the music, especially if we're playing something Celtic or a little upbeat that people want to dance to. We try to keep it in the background subtly and we have people make the comment that 'it must be nice working here, I could just stay here all day.' So it helps create that whole homey atmosphere," said Marion Marshall, Homespun Treasures.
A new poll suggests most Canadian shoppers find that Christmas music makes holiday shopping more enjoyable, and about a third of those say they often spend more time in a store because of it.
"We just love Christmas music, everything about Christmas is wonderful… but about spending money… no, it doesn't encourage me to spend money but it does encourage a smile and it affects everyone else who listens to Christmas music," said one Soo resident.
"It gets you into the spirit of the season… gets you moving around a bit… but it gets you to the store too. Gets you looking around," said another.
Marshall says there are many other things that help attract customers during the holiday season.
"Making the storefront look Christmassy. Putting a little bit of effort into the outward appearance… it kind of grabs people's attention as they're going by. When they come into the store, being welcoming, maybe doing some special things because it's Christmas. It just makes people enjoy the experience of being in your store," she explained.
It seems that most people in the Soo enjoy jingling their bells with Christmas music rather than having a silent night, and many say it makes the stress of holiday shopping a little more manageable.
