The holidays are a time for religious reflection, music, gift-giving and eating . . . lots of eating.

Yes, tis the season for eating in excess! Family gatherings and holiday parties with friends and business associates provide plenty of opportunity to celebrate the season with food and drink. And, in New Jersey, there never has been a shortage of stores to purchase groceries for epicurean events.

In the “old days” communities were served exclusively by local merchants. Rural locations were home to general stores that stocked all the makings for a meal. In urban areas, markets populated city streets, creating a kind of smorgasbord of shopping -- meats in one shop, fruits and vegetables at another, baked goods here, seafood or poultry there.

While local markets continued to prosper into the 20th century, larger stores, or, "supermarkets" were built in urban and suburban settings. A handful of supermarkets were national, but most operated in a specific region; New Jerseyans could shop at A&P, Food Fair, ShopRite and Acme, to name a few.

Here’s a look at vintage food stores in New Jersey. Be sure to click on the captions button to learn even more about the photos.

Next week: Holiday scenes. Do you have photos taken in New Jersey before 1983 of holiday activities such as parades, parties and special events? If so, we might consider using them in a gallery. Send a jpg and description to ghatala@starledger.com.