The issue: It’s the day to shop &8216;til you drop.

Our position: Shop at home first.

We noticed that many stores in cities much larger than ours opened their doors at midnight to begin the holiday shopping season.

A good many of those merchants are hoping that shoppers will come often and spend a lot to make up for flat sales many of them experienced through the year.

Here in Selma, our stores will open early with holiday shopping bonuses for those who set their alarm clocks this morning. The rest of us will benefit later after that first cup of coffee and a read through the newspaper.

Whether you shop now on what some have termed &8220;Black Friday,&8221; or if you spend throughout the season, here’s what we wish: That you’ll seek those presents for mom and dad, sons and daughters, in-laws, nieces, nephews, uncles and aunts here in Dallas County.

See, our merchants are just like those in New York, Boston, Chicago or Atlanta. They’re counting on a good holiday season to help bolster them their year.

And, when you shop at home, you help home. Those sales tax dollars go to the city to help fund the services all of us enjoy everyday.