HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — Last-minute shopping is in full swing. Shoppers came out in droves on December 23.
People braved the crowd and long lines to find the perfect present at Westfield Brandon.
“Very chaotic, very hectic. A lot of people out, a lot of people with the same mindset of last-minute shopping,” said Michael Smith.
Michael Smith was shopping for his entire family Friday. His busy schedule did not allow him to do it sooner.
“I have a hectic schedule at work. I just got off this morning off of duty. So, I really haven’t had the time. That’s why the last-minute thing is taking place,” Smith said.
Another father and son got to the mall bright and early. They already have most of their Christmas shopping done.
“We’ve done some shopping online and I could definitely find some things online that she would like, but there’s some things where I'd rather pick it out in person and see it for myself,” said Alex Reichard. said Alex Reichard.
Last on their list is something for mom. “Somethings I kind of wanted to get was like some jewelry that I know she likes,” said Levi Reichard.
Many families said they plan to spend less on gifts this year because of inflation. Stepanie Garzon is hoping to buy her husband a ring at the right price.
“I do see a small price hike on the rings, well, that’s what I'm looking for, but generally, you do see a price hike on a lot of things. It’s what we can afford at this point,” Garzon said.
If you have not finished buying all your gifts yet, many malls are closing late Friday but keep in mind it is going to be very hard to find a parking spot.
