It's holiday season in Santa-Point, Idaho-ho-ho

SANTA-POINT, IDAHO-HO-HO — The local merchants of this area that some call Sandpoint during the rest of the year, want to remind you that your hometown offers plenty of reasons to shop and stay at home.

The greater Santa-Point area (Sandpoint, Ponderay, etc.) continues to offer more shopping opportunities every year.

With gas prices closing in on $4 a gallon, it makes economic sense to walk around downtown Santa-Point or the Bonner Mall for gift ideas.

Even if you aren't in the gift-buying mood, just seeing the white lights that outline our Ansel Adams downtown, or the Community Hall that suddenly resembles a giant gingerbread house, is enough to turn us all into children again.

Do you want to get in the holiday mood? Try Lions Club Turkey Bingo at the Bonner Mall this Thursday and Friday. The fun starts at 6 p.m. both nights. A final shot at Turkey Bingo will be held this Saturday from 1-5 p.m.

Last year more than 500 families (including 1,000 children) were helped by the Lions Club Toys for Tots program.

Guess who helps the Lions make this program a success? The Bee, other local merchants and you. Without them the Lions Club couldn't help anyone. The businesses who help are a Who's Who of businesses that always step up to help.

As Holly Eve sneaks up on us this weekend, I'm reminded of how much that event has helped the Panida, the Festival at Sandpoint and other great causes. Marilyn Sabella is the epitome of a Santa-Point merchant. She gives back.

It's a simple math equation. If the local merchants are supported they can give back. If they aren't, they won't.

It would be great this year if people who benefited from the generosity of these merchants, stepped back from their computer or didn't automatically get in their cars and head south.

Another fun tradition is the release of the official Santa-Point, Idaho-ho-ho postcard. The mayor will be given the first, limited-edition postcard at the Christmas tree-lighting ceremony.

The cards will be available at most Santa-Point stores after the release. But as an early Christmas gift for readers, the Daily Bee and selected retailers will begin selling the cards this Friday.

Only 1,000 copies will be printed of each of the two cards. Last year the cards sold out.

Welcome to Santa-Point, 2007. Just add snow!

David Keyes is publisher of the Daily Bee.