Holiday Hustle: Last-Minute Shoppers Flock To Businesses In Delaware Valley To Finish Christmas Shopping
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Last-minute shoppers flocked to malls and local businesses throughout the region on Christmas Eve for the holiday hustle. But now, the present procrastinators are officially out of time as Christmas arrives.
Targets in the area closed at 10 p.m., and they were one of the only stores that didn't close at 6 p.m.
For shoppers at the Cherry Hill Mall, it was down to the wire. Last-minute Christmas shoppers were racing against the clock Tuesday.
"Did my last few things. Get my grandmother some Eagles gear and so on and so forth," Philadelphian Will Horrocks said.
These shoppers had just one hour before the mall closed, but they said it was better late than never.
"Little trinkets and stuff are easy to get for my grandmother and grandfather," Horrocks said. "At least have something for them to open up tomorrow. But it's my love that they care about."
And if not, their great-grandson Liam Horrocks can make up for it.
Dalton Davis told CBS3 he waited an hour to pick up his daughter's gift.
"I didn't have anything specific so I was just going by the seat of my pants and I got something nice for her," Davis, of Vineland, New Jersey, said.
A young shopper from Mays Landing said she ended up in the mall on Christmas Eve due to her uncle's busy schedule.
"I'm just shopping for my dad," Victoria Toussaint said. "Because he's the one who gets me the most presents so I have to get him something extra special."
It was a similar story in Chestnut Hill.
"Oh my gosh, yeah it's buzzing. You can't get a parking space unless you're really lucky," one shopper said.
It was a mad dash on Germantown Avenue in Chestnut Hill on Tuesday.
"People are out and about, people have lots of bags," a shopper said.
Shoppers were on the hunt for those last-minute gifts like supermom 'Christmas Carol' Hackman.
"This is for my son. He's 25, living on his own in South Philly," she said, "He's a big cook, but he doesn't do his dishes."
It was a beautifully busy day in Chestnut Hill.
That includes Busy Bee Toys, where games, toys and stuffed Grittys were flying off the shelves.
"Christmas is the time that can make or break a business and thankfully, I'm happy to say I'm doing really well," Busy Bee Toys owner Nerice Kenderer said.
Inside the Fashion District Philadelphia in Center City, there was a steady stream of customers going in and out of stores. Each of them were looking for a good deal.
Many at the Fashion District are also enjoying the newly renovated mall, which just opened in September as well as all the festive decorations set up to attract holiday shoppers.
"It's beautiful. It's really beautiful, everything looks great," Stacy Melendes said.
But there's an art to last-minute shopping.
"There's always a Plan B," said Naas Yancey, of Cinnaminson, New Jersey. "You shouldn't walk out on Christmas Eve starting your shopping without having at least something if you don't get the thing you that you want."
Time has run out for the shoppers on Christmas Eve.
According to one estimate, 74 million Americans waited until the last day to buy at least some of their Christmas presents.
CBS3's Matt Petrillo and Kimberly Davis contributed to this report.
