‘The best day to get the shopping done’: Last-minute shoppers hit malls on Christmas Eve

Holiday shoppers decked the malls and markets Sunday to get last-minute gifts for their loved ones, with some making an hours-long trip to secure the goods.

Rodney Kejick and Nicole Oshawe drove five hours from their home in Ontario to purchase presents for their daughters. The gifts included a snowboard and bindings, sweaters, and lotions.

“It was a last-minute decision to come out here,” said Kejick, but according to the couple, the trip was worth it.

“Where we are from, everybody will have the same stuff,” Kejick said. “And everything that our daughters asked for too, we found everything here in Winnipeg,” Oshawe added.

For some shoppers, the Christmas Eve crunch is just business as usual.

Kristjan Nordman said he typically leaves his gift buying until the last minute. “It just feels like Christmas on the 24th,” he said. “So that’s for me, the best day to get the shopping done.”

While many people were buying presents for family and friends, other shoppers got a little something for themselves.

“Shopping for Christmas and a jacket,” said Yining, a young shopper at the mall.

Whether they got a big gift or small, these last-minute shoppers are still spreading Christmas cheer to all.

“Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year,” Kejick said.