Shoppers scramble to get last minute Christmas gifts
BURLINGTON - The last-minute rush to get Christmas gifts was in full effect Friday night. "This is a last-minute shopping trip for me," said Burlington Mall shopper Sam Drinkwater.
Christmas is around the corner and the clock is ticking for Sam Drinkwater to find the perfect present.
"My mother in-law, now you're going to tell her," said Drinkwater. "I am panic shopping at the moment."
And she's not the only one - cars circled for spots in the Burlington Mall parking lot Friday night as shoppers hoped to cross off last minute Christmas gifts including Paula Haschig and her seven-year-old daughter Diana. "There's a little last-minute shopping happening," said Paula Haschig, who's handling the holiday hustle but it's not easy.
According to the American Psychological Association, 89% of U.S. adults are overwhelmed during the holiday season and it's not just shopping malls causing the chaos.
"We expect it to be busy out there this holiday period," said AAA spokesperson Mark Schieldrop who says 115 million people are expected to travel this year.
"We are at pre-pandemic levels of volume," said Schieldrop.
"I didn't expect it to be this busy this morning," said traveler Jennifer Forlio.
Despite the traffic backup on roadways and long lines at Logan, travelers like Jennifer Forlio are set on spending Christmas exactly how they want to.
"If this is what I have to do in order to get to my beach then I'm OK with that," said Forlio.
AAA tells WBZ this year is predicted to be the second busiest travel year on record sitting closely behind 2019.