The day after Thanksgiving marks the beginning of the Christmas holiday season, which accounts for more than $200 billion annually across the nation, according to the retail reports.

Although with the current economic mess this country and the rest of the world is in, that may be optimistic.

The national economy may seem as distant as Washington, D.C. to most Mississippians and like the goings-on in the nation's capitol, shaped by forces out of their control.

Actually, nothing could be further from the truth.

Local shoppers hold the key to economic well-being in their hands.

Here's the other side of the argument that "Christmas has become too commercialized."

In Mississippi, holiday spending shoppers - from Tippah County as well as across the rest of the state and nation - not only supports local retail stores for the year, but helps float local and state budgets. That holiday spending accounts for nearly half of the state's general fund tax revenues, according to published reports.

So, if you need an excuse to shop for presents, consider to it your duty to spend money to support your local, state and national economy.

The recent local merchants' open house kicked off the holiday season. We hope you'll patronize those merchants, not just during the holiday season but throughout the year. Give them the first chance to meet your shopping needs.

Spending lcoally supports your local government. It helps keep your friends and neighbors employed or creates jobs, and working people pay state and federal income taxes.

On Thanksgiving, the general order of the days was: Gobble 'till you wobble. As Christmas nears and the holiday buying season is under way, local merchants, the state and the nation hop you shop until you drop.