Moody residents Shane Champion and his daughter, Zoe look for deals at Gymboree.

A “Moonlight Madness Pajama Jam” put shoppers in a festive mood as The Outlet Shops of Grand River kicked off the holiday shopping season. Getting a jump-start on the competition, Moonlight Madness began at 10:00 p.m. Thanksgiving night instead of the traditional wee hours of Black Friday morning.

Jamie Robinson, Marketing Director for The Outlet Shops of Grand River, said, “We’re kicking off the holiday season in grand fashion as only The Outlet Shops of Grand River can.”

Incentives were heightened too as the first 500 people to arrive received swag bags filled with coupons from various outlet vendors and Jockey (who sponsored the Pajama Party) gave away special-edition Jockey sleep-shirts.

Eager shoppers gathered in pajama-clad groups, many sporting the same tops and matching bottoms. One group from Gardendale made shirts with the phrase, “Ho Ho Hotties.” A representative from the group who work together at Mordecai Sporting said, “We saw Moonlight Madness advertised online and decided to come on out.” When asked what’s at the top of their shopping list, she replied, “We’re looking for what’s hot.”

As the swag bags began to dwindle down excited shoppers shouted with glee as they clenched the last of the goodie bags before heading out to find deals.

Local Pell City residents, mother/daughter duo, Julie and Julia Funderburg came out to find great deals as well as spend time with good friends. “This is Julia’s first time to come shopping like this,” Julie said.

With traffic backed up all the way down I-20 East, one employee was overheard saying, “They call it moonlight madness for a reason.”

Men were seen taking on the role of bag holder as the ladies took to the cash registers. Shane Champion, out shopping with his daughters, one a college student and the other a third grader said, “Things are going good.”

Looking forward to making Moonlight Madness an annual event, Sue Helondovitch with Strategy +Style Marketing Group, who is in charge of the shops’ public relations said, “This event has a great community feel.”