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MOSES LAKE - Two shoppers were looking at ceramic pebbles with inspirational sayings at Art Garden Pottery Saturday afternoon.

"I need to get her a 'be calm,'" said one shopper to the other, referring to a family member. "Two kids? Definitely, 'be calm.'"

Another shopper, at Sue's Boutique, jokingly described the thought process when she found that an item she had considered buying earlier was still there.

"They're so cute. They're just as cute as I remember them. I do covet them."

At least downtown, the Christmas shopping season has gotten off to a good start.

Business owners, queried Saturday afternoon, said traffic had ranged from about average to "crazy" (Red Door Consignment) to "unbelievable" (Sue's Gift Boutique). Saturday was Small Business Saturday, which is designed to promote shopping locally, in small businesses.

Saturday was a little uneven at Miller's Fine Jewelers, said Lacey Jensen, the store manager. Traditionally the shopping season doesn't really get rolling for about another week, she said. "We are usually swamped in December."

The store has an invitation-only event, where the ladies can make up their wish list so it's ready when their husbands/boyfriends come in. Then it's up to the guys, and "you know them. They shop on (Dec.) 23 and 24," Jensen said.

The joint was jumping all weekend long at Art Garden Pottery, celebrating its one-year anniversary. "Really good today and yesterday," said owner Laura Mayer.

"It's been crazy. Crazy but fun," said Sue Torrance, owner of Sue's Boutique.

"It has been just crazy in here today," said Jan Tinker, co-owner of Red Door Consignment. Many of those customers were visiting the store for the first time, Tinker said. "They were pleasantly surprised," she said.

Becky Meyer, of Moses Lake, brought her friend Tracy Teetaert, of Vail, Colo., downtown to show her what the town had to offer. "To shop," Meyer said.