By CRAIG FREILICH

Many St. Lawrence County residents are spending about the same amount on holiday presents as they did last year, and some are already planning vacations, if a recent informal poll of a handful of shoppers is any indication.

As Christmas approaches, people are finalizing plans to visit family or have family visit them, planning for meals, and figuring out what to get for children, parents, and other relatives and friends. People are also deciding how much to spend on gifts, food, travel and all the rest.

Rob Green of Potsdam says he plans on spending about the same this year as last year. But he and his wife Becky and sons Kristian and Brent are “all going on a cruise of the Caribbean in February,” a family gift, he said.

Mary Jo Sutton of Colton also plans on spending about the same this year. She, her husband and two sisters will be taking their annual trip to Myrtle Beach, S.C. to visit their father for the holidays. “We always jump in the ocean on Christmas Day regardless of the temperature,” she said.

Geneth Tarallo of Norwood will spend Christmas with her mother, son, stepson and his family. She plans on spending about the same thus year as last year.

Sharon Gotham of South Colton will be spending about the same for the holidays this year. She won’t be traveling since “family come to us.” She expects there will be 15 to 20 people in the house for the holidays. She says she will be doing most of the cooking, “with help from relatives.” Gifts she has in mind for giving are Keurig coffee makers and Kindle e-book readers.

Daniel Borawski of Potsdam says he might be spending a little more this year. He says he wants to get something exciting for his nieces, but what that is he didn’t know for sure. The only travel he plans is to be with family in Brushton.

James LaBarge of Norwood says he will be spending about the same amount as last year, but won’t be getting any big gifts. He and the family will be spending at least part of Christmas together, but won’t be traveling anywhere, since he will be working.

Matt McKenna said he won’t be spending as much this year. He plans to be with family in Hannawa Falls for the holiday. He expects that his biggest purchase will be a digital camera that he wants to get for a good friend.

Debbie Grant of Massena says she’s planning on spending about the same this year as last year. And as for travel, she says she won’t be leaving the house, and she’s doing most of the cooking, so most of her travels will be from the kitchen to the table and back.

Terri Simzer of Lisbon also says her budget is about the same as last year’s. Her family has no special travel plans. “No, we’re all from nearby,” she said, and the family will spend the holiday together. A big gift coming her way is a horse trailer she bought, “so that’s my gift from me to me. My husband doesn’t know,” she said, but she plans on telling him before he finds out from us.