DICKSON CITY – If you’re like most holiday shoppers you still have at least a few last-minute gifts to grab before the calendar hits December 25. This Saturday is expected to be the second busiest day for retailers right behind this Friday.
With less than a week until Christmas, malls are bustling with shoppers looking for that perfect gift. Bob Campen of Hawley said he’s off to a strong start.
"Just started my shopping, and I`m on a power trip to get it all taken care of before four o`clock, is hopefully the game plan," said Campen.
If you procrastinated, there’s still lots of sales in every storefront, and there’s even still time to put in a good word with Santa too.
However, Arthur Royer, 84, said some of the selection is getting rather slim.
"Well it looks like there`s been a sale and everything has been picked over, but it`s not as crowded as I expected it to be,” said Royer, who traveled to Viewmont Mall from Herrick Center.
The parking lot is busy, but around the lunch rush there were still plenty of spaces to be found at Viewmont Mall.
Nancy Patten of Clarks Summit said she’s seen much worse while grabbing her last few gifts.
"This is nothing, I`m from Grand Rapids Michigan originally, and that`s 'zoo-ey'. So yea, no this is nothing,” said Patten.
For those last-minute holiday shoppers the doors at Viewmont Mall will be opening early and closing late right up until 6 p.m. Christmas Eve, but most people hope not to cut it that close.
"Did nine grandchildren, 10 other children, so now we`re down to the last one,” said Lois Smith of South Carolina.
Smith and her daughter Meg are spending the holidays in the Poconos and said they are finishing their shopping now.
"I`m a little more last-minute than she is,she starts earlier, so I`ve got a lot of gift cards to pick up today,” said Meg Smith of New Jersey.
But if you haven’t shopped at all yet, you’re not alone. The National Retail Federation said about 32 million people still didn’t start to buy gifts at all.
Happy shopping!