Forty-nine days and counting — that’s the time table for Christmas, which is seven weeks from today.

With that in mind, the Cherokee County chapter of the American Red Cross is eager to do its share to help in areas other than it normally does.

The local chapter’s annual Souper Supper, which has been held late in January, has been moved up to the Saturday after Thanksgiving — Nov. 30 — and offers a chance for bidders to get some early Christmas shopping out of the way.

As in the past, Souper Supper will include silent and live auctioning of donated items, offering those in attendance a chance to pick up a bargain on Christmas gifts among other things.

Judy Sallis currently is checking with area businesses for donations for the auction. Those donations are tax-deductible.

The schedule for this year’s Souper Supper has been altered from previous affairs. The supper will be at 6 p.m. at the Centre First United Methodist Church Fellow-ship Hall, with the live auction to follow at 7:15 p.m; admission and dinner for $5 per person.

Prior to the supper and live auction, a silent auction will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m; there is no charge for the silent auction. During that six hours, items will be on display at the fellowship hall and may be claimed at that time for a minimum of 80 percent of the placed value. Items also may be bid on during that time. If they are not picked up and paid for by 6 p.m. they are null and void and the item will be placed in the live auction.

All items will be given an opening bid with a “take me home now” price.

Persons wishing to make an auction donation may do so by taking their item or items to the Red Cross office at 1122 W. Main St., Centre. Or they may call Mrs. Sallis at 927-6325 or 927-3797 Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m