Sharon Mattern, owner of American Harvest, closes her store for a week every year to prepare for the Christmas season. Mattern and her husband paper over the windows, cloaking the store in total secrecy while they decorate, arrange, and prepare for the annual onslaught of Christmas shoppers.

When the store is unveiled and reopened a week later, it is to a different Christmas surprise each year.

"Every year we do a different theme," said Mattern. Most of her decorations this year are sparkling white, to imitate snow, with some pink trees thrown in for a touch of femininity.

Since it doesn't snow in Pleasanton, says Mattern, "We have to create our own atmosphere."

Few stores go as far as closing their doors for an entire week, but almost every store along Main Street and the surrounding area is decked out in its Christmas best.

Many stores had Christmas trees, often adorned with ornaments for sale, and window displays of hanging ornaments and pine boughs.

In most stores, the decorations were done entirely by the store's owner or employees, not by an outside decorating service.

"We do it ourselves," said Scott Duft, a cashier at the Berry Patch on Main Street. "My mom [store owner Liz Gaouette] is just really good with that stuff - she has a vision."

Primrose Bakery on West Angela featured dozens of decorative Christmas balls hanging from ribbons attached to the ceiling. As in many stores, one of the most important decorations was the Christmas-themed products filling their shelves.

"We have an entire menu dedicated just to Christmas," said Hannah Burnett, a cashier at Primrose Bakery. "It's the chef's favorite holiday."

Many stores have products especially dedicated to the Christmas season. Fleet Feet, a running apparel store on Main Street, sells christmas ornaments with their logo.

"We get lots of people shopping for gifts," said Katy Conge, a cashier at Fleet Feet, noting that they sell a lot of cold-weather running gear such as gloves.

Gourmet Works, a cooking and chocolate shop on Main Street, produces some special treats just for Christmas.

"Our peppermint crunch is our big seller," said Kathy Cousins Starkey as she wrapped Christmas gift-baskets with cellophane and ribbon.

Each store had a different approach to Christmas style and atmosphere, but they all had one thing in common, they reflect a certain anticipation for good shopping turnout.

"There's a pretty significant increase for the holidays," said Dirk Christiansen, owner of Studio Seven Arts, located at the corner of Main Street and West Angela. "Probably a 25 to 30 percent increase."

"It's a good time of year," adds Melanie Sadek, owner of Murphy's Paw, a Main Street store dedicated to serving Pleasanton's canine population. "People will get their dogs stuff for Christmas."

Some stores, such as Pans On Fire, a Main Street cooking store, have specials events and activities for the Christmas season.

"We've just had about 6 million kids in the back," said store owner Linda Wyner, proudly exhibiting a plate of Santa cookies that her Christmas cookie baking class, consisting of around 24 people, had just made. "We have some Chistmas cooking classes that are very traditional," said Wyner.

Between sparkling holiday decorations, delicious cooking classes, and a tremendous spike in sales, Pleasanton businesses know that Christmas really is the most wonderful time of the year.