ONEONTA _ The picture was mixed at stores on Oneonta's Main Street as the holiday shopping season got under way on Black Friday.
But, the economy was on the mind of many shoppers who talked about their purchasing plans.
"It's been very busy," said Sport Tech co-owner Ed Lorenz. "It's been better than we expected," he said about the day's sales.
The cold weather may have been helpful in getting people to buy such items as skis and coats.
"I think people are staying home and shopping locally," he said.
Shopper Megan Dyer, an Oneonta teacher, agreed.
"I love shopping downtown," she said. "I get everything gift-wrapped."
But at McLaughlin's Clothing Store, also on Main Street, store manager Dean Matthews said he was seeing the "impact of the economy.
"Sales are down from last year," he said. "I was hoping for more," he said, but with the current national economic problems, sales have been about as expected.
Shoppers in the store agreed that their overall purchases are going to be down this year.
Jean Harris, a medical office nurse, said she has made some Internet purchases, but "I want to shop locally."
The family has decided to give less to each other this year and give money to charity instead.
"We don't need as much," she said.
Linda Shelton, a laboratory technician at A.O. Fox Memorial Hospital who lives in Unadilla, said, "This year, money is a lot tighter."
The gifts will be a lot more practical, she said, with a greater emphasis for the holiday on spending time with family.
That is more in keeping with the "spirit of Christmas," she said.
The sentiments were similar on Oneonta's Southside.
As she left Wal-Mart with her family, Kelli Croft of Sidney said she will be spending less this year. Her husband was just laid off from his job as a housekeeping supervisor, she said.
The couple started the day in Binghamton at 6:30 a.m. and arrived in Oneonta by mid-afternoon, she said. Many of the purchases will be focused on the children, especially on practical items such as clothes, she said.
Dolores Lawton of Maryland was looking over calendars in the Southside Mall. She got a late start on the day, arriving at about 2 p.m., she said.
"We're cutting back this year," she said, spending about half of what she usually does, she said.
"The kids are all for it because they are older," she said.
Instead of a lot of gifts that are forgotten, she will be spending more on a family dinner, she said. "You remember the time that you spend with your family."
