Retail Experts: Do Yourself A Favor And Don't Wait Until Next Weekend To Do Your Holiday Shopping
CENTRAL VALLEY, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- Time is ticking to get holiday shopping done!
Many people spent Sunday browsing and buying presents, as Christmas and Hanukkah are nearly here.
CBS2's Christina Fan checked out some popular shopping destinations in our area.
At the Columbus Circle Holiday Market, all seems merry and bright. But With Christmas less than 10 days away and the start of Hanukkah less than seven, the pressure is setting in.
"Bad, horrible, haven't started yet," one shopper said when asked how much progress has been made on the shopping front.
"I'm not very far along at all which is terrifying," added Erin McCarty of Brooklyn.
"Every second counts," another shopper said.
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From mom and pop arts and crafts stores to sprawling malls, the choices for gifts are seemingly endless. But the consensus today is that one particular group of people were the hardest to shop for.
"Men are difficult. You never know what they want," said Remy Klugman of New Jersey.
"I have no idea," Michelle Trueheart of Brooklyn added, when asked why men are so hard to shop for. "They never tell you what they want."
"I would say probably my husband, because he buys everything he wants anyway," added Alica Harrison of Texas.
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At Woodbury Common Premium Outlets, which is a solid hour-plus drive from the city, traffic was nonstop all day. Some literally shopped until their hands could not carry any more bags.
"It was a great day. I got a lot accomplished, thank you. I got so much accomplished," one person said.
"We still got to come back. Next weekend, because we're tired," another shopper said.
Then there are others who started long before Black Friday. They were just there strolling under the holiday lights to feel the magic they said can only be experienced this time of year.
"Spending time with family, yeah, that's the most important," one person said.
"This is fun, where I can just pick up last-minute things that are fun. I don't want to be under the gun," Harrison added.
If you think shops were busy Sunday, retail experts say brace yourself for next weekend. Christmas falls on a Wednesday this year, meaning the weekend before Christmas will likely be one of the busiest of the year.