Downtown community seeking needed support during Christmas season

The pandemic isn't stopping the spirit of christmas, but it is changing the way we celebrate.

Despite this local business owners say their christmas gift is the increased foot traffic the holiday brings.

We spoke to some of them today as well as organizers of the holiday festivities downtown to see how they're pushing forward in this world of social distancing.

<ron johnson reporting the christmas spirit has officially arrived in downtown st.

Joseph, complete with the sights the seasonso we are doing downtown holiday experience again third year in a row.

It's a relatively new tradition for the downtown community bringing more traffic to the area, the perfect gift for businesses, especially this year.

Downtown's probably been hurt a little more maybe than some of the chains that are out on the belt.

As we've said before this has been a challenging year for small business as the covid-19 pandemic has kept many at homeoverall it's been slower than last year and prior years.

But the christmas season is helping, a least a little bit.with attractions like santa and carriage rides for the whole family, organizers of all the festivities making covid friendly changes.

Everybody's keeping socially distant so its safe its kosher.and local families are making the best of the holiday shopping experience, also doing their part to support the local economy.

I've done some shopping at nesting goods and willow boutique and it's just really important to keep all those people in the christmas spirit and keep 'em in mind this christmas and support them so they can stay open and enjoy their christmas too.

With proper support from shoppers, the downtown business community hopes to survive the stalemate and recover once the pandemic subsides.

Hopefully we'll see kinda that pick up in the springtime and when we get into the later spring summertime, then we kinda get back to a new normal.

There will be another chance for you to experience holidays downtown, organizers will be having another similar event next week.