Hustling through Winn Dixie on Dallas Avenue with her two-page grocery list, Mary Ellen Rollins spent Thursday afternoon getting all the last minute items for her Christmas Eve and Christmas Day dinner. “It’s been a buy Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday at work,” Rollins said. “I usually like to do shopping the day before Christmas Eve.”

For Christmas Eve, Rollins and her son will dine on prime rib and twice baked potatoes. Dinner on Christmas Day will consist of a fried turkey, dressing, green beans, squash casserole, potato casserole, grape salad and desserts. Rollins will be cooking for ten people on Christmas Day, since her 94-year-old mother, son, brother and her brother’s family will gather at her home.

Glenda Edwards and her family will travel to Mississippi to spend Christmas with her sister, but she still wanted to prepare something special for her family. “So, when we come home we’ll have something to eat after the holidays,” Edwards said. “I wasn’t going to do this, but I felt bad not cooking for my family.”

She plans to prepare turkey, ham, dressing, collard greens, sweet potato casserole and macaroni and cheese. Edwards has spent much of her week visiting her newborn grandchild and working, not grocery shopping. “It’s been really busy with the newborn and trying to take care of my family,” Edwards said.

Winn Dixie on Dallas will be open from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Friday. The store will run with minimal staff of volunteer workers. “We didn’t require anybody to work,” said Larry Crane, store manager. Employees will receive special pay for their time on Friday.