JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — It’s crunch time for last-minute holiday shoppers and with the clock ticking, doing it all on Christmas Eve doesn’t leave much time.
“I’m a procrastinator, I got to own it,” Paul Colin said.
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Shopping centers across Jacksonville felt the rush because ordering online with a day to go just wasn’t going to cut it.
“We still have several more stops to make to finish the family, wife, the kid, pretty much doing everything today,” Jay Shea said.
Not everybody procrastinated — some families like Jessie Vance and Dru Brannon simply couldn’t find the time.
“We’ve been working throughout the week, and this is the only time we had to go shopping,” Brannon said.
To surround the Christmas tree with presents, many decided to shop local in San Marco. Businesses like Fig and Willow and Beau Outfitters saw a busy final stretch.
“We see a significant increase for November and December, by far our busiest months of the year,” Fig and Willow store manager Sam Griffel said.
According to the National Retail Federation, buyers will spend roughly $998 in total this year between gifts, decorations, and other holiday purchases. Buyers will also do a bit more shopping in person rather than online compared to last year.
Both businesses told Action News Jax that this holiday season has been one of the best in recent years as buyers keep their money in the community.
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“You’re supporting not only one family but multiple families,” Beau Outfitters manager Loretta Trentman said. “We have employees who depend on the income.”
Even though it can come down to the wire, buyers say it’s the thought and efforts that count.
“I have been eyeing a particular gift all week, so I just closed the deal today,” Colin said. “She will be really happy.”
Some local shops told Action News Jax that when it comes to sales, Christmas Eve can be as good or even better than Black Friday.
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