Not a snowflake has graced the ground in State College this season, but holiday decorating supplies are flying off the shelves and onto the balconies of downtown residents.

With temperatures ascending past 60 degrees, snowmen and icicles are hanging out on the balcony of 309 Cedarbrook Building, 320 E. Beaver Ave.

"It's still Christmas. Dec. 25 is going to happen no matter what. How can you not be happy?" said tenant Rachel Mummey (junior-human development and family studies). "We don't leave any holiday unappreciated."

Mummey's balcony gives Beaver Avenue a few more colors than the humming street lamps below. A rainbow of holiday lights wrap around every spoke in her terrace railings under the glimmer of blue and white icicle lights hanging from the porch ceiling. Both shed some light on a stuffed snowman chillin' on a patio chair.

"We leave them on all day," Mummey said. "We might leave them on over winter break."

"We changed the fuses three times already," Sladki said.

Mummey joked in agreement.

"It was very Griswold," she said.

The balcony has a name, too.

"We call it 'The Beacon' because it radiates light everywhere," said Bre Sladki (junior-human development and family studies), Mummey's roommate.

Stepping into the apartment from the balcony, a blitz of holiday decorations bombards the eyes of first-time visitors. Wrapped presents wait under a tree streaming with popcorn, glitter, rainbow lights and handmade ornaments. On the kitchen table, green and red Reese's Peanut Butter Cups curve the top of a small bowl resting on top of Santa Claus placemats.

Up one flight of stairs and a few steps east rests "Quansan," the aptly named strobe light sitting on the adjoining gate of the apartment balconies of 403 and 405 Cedarbrook. The bright florescent flash shoots out purples, blues, yellows and oranges in a spiraling 360. Those same colors adorn each balcony face, symmetry intended for purposes of competition.

"We're so much in competition with the downstairs apartment," said Matt Sondej (senior-rehabilitation services).

Like Mummey, Sondej started wrapping lights around his balcony the week after Thanksgiving, inspiring his neighbors to do the same.

"When we put our lights up, our neighbors lit their's up too so it looks like one balcony," Sondej said. "We probably put 50 bucks into the decorations."

Instead of spending more, Mike Dreveniak (junior-management science and information systems), Sondej's roommate, has a better idea.

"We're going to grinch everything they have down there," Dreveniak said.

Mummey and Sondej attributed the prices and selection of retail and thrift stores as their wellspring of décor. At Goodwill Industries Store, 221 S. Allen St., all sorts of uncanny holiday trinkets are on display upstairs in the "Christmas Knick Knacks" section.

"I just checked the donations and saw Santa on a starfish," said Christannia Betonte (senior-sociology), a Goodwill employee.

Goodwill offers a 10 percent discount for all Penn State students, even for those interested in buying a Santa Claus shower curtain ring set or silver Christmas tree.

"Our Christmas shelves over there are empty," said Melissa Cardona (senior-English), a Goodwill employee.

The same is the case with Wal-Mart, 1665 N. Atherton St.

"We're selling all of our stuff," said Kris Devore, manager of the seasonal department. "I don't have anything to fill the shelves with."