With Christmas Day inching closer and closer, there are hundreds of procrastinators who have descended on stores around the area and across the country.
Some shoppers at Macarthur Center in Norfolk said they never planned on waiting last minute to buy gifts.
“I didn’t decide, it just happens,” laughed Julia Lauer. “It just happens.”
Others said shopping on Christmas Eve has become an unfortunate tradition.
“I do it every year,” said Michelle Boyd. “I don’t want to but it’s just how things fall. I don’t get a chance to get out beforehand.”
13News Now also spoke with people who said they prefer to buy their presents the day before Christmas, enjoying the last-minute madness.
“You know back in college I always wrote my best papers at the last minute so I feel like Christmas is kind of the same way, last minute,” said Jonathan Sutton. “I do my best work at the last minute.”
Someone who gets a front row seat to the holiday shopping chaos is Raymond Yarsinske. Yarsinske works as a Starbucks barista in the MacArthur Mall.
“People are crazy,” said Yarsinske. “They’re frustrated and they’re like tired of shopping and they spent all their money and they finally get to us and they’re angry.”
However, a handful of shoppers said it's all about remembering what the holidays are for.
“It can be stressful but if you keep everything in focus and try to stay grounded and remember the real reason for the season, everything goes well,” said Stacy Vankinscott.
A spokesperson for MacArthur Mall said the busiest days include Black Friday and Dec. 22, three days before Christmas.