Algona begins an early Christmas

This may be Thanksgiving week but in Algona, it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas. At least 20 businesses in the northern Iowa city’s downtown will be entertaining passers-by tonight by making their store windows into live greeting cards. Vicki Mallory, executive director of the Algona Chamber of Commerce, explains. She says it’s an old-fashioned start to the Christmas season. No commercialism is allowed in the windows as groups and participating businesses are encouraged to do their window exhibits based on a slower pace and a former time. Mallory says scenes will include a grandmother reading to grandkids, people decorating cookies and a family wrapping packages. She says even if the snow flakes aren’t flying and Christmas is still more than a month away, it’ll be easy to get in the holiday mood. Other events include: strolling barber shoppers, horse-drawn wagon rides and the holiday parade. For more information, call the Chamber at (515) 295-7201.