ROCHESTER, Minn. (KTTC) – The most wonderful time of the year is just hours away—a day to be present with your loved ones and shower them with gifts. While many people already have surprises wrapped up, some were on a mission.

“I have three teenagers and I’m just doing some last-minute shopping for them,” said Regan Limuti, who was hunting for gifts at Apache Mall. “They are very hard to shop for, but I’ve been finding some good deals.”

Limuti, like many shoppers across the country, are racing against time. She said, “I usually try to get my shopping done earlier, but you know, with payday and work and I’m just glad that I have an extra day to come here and shop for everything.“

Although many were on the hunt for presents, some were just here for a good time.

“We just came here to have some fun and just look at the decorations and shop,” said Nashley Abdou, who was strolling in the mall with her mother. “I usually do my shopping in November just to get ahead of like the expensive prices.”

For retailers at Apache Mall, Christmas season is their moneymaker.

“It’s the Super Bowl week of selling at least in retail,” Tradehome Shoes Store manager Graham Kummeth said. “The last week right before Christmas is when it’s go time. So, a lot more people, a lot more sales.”

Despite how busy shops can get, the store manager shared they love helping find what they are looking for.

“[It is] a little more last minute this year than I think it was the year previously,” Rogers & Hollands Store Manager Jenna Merrills said. “The last five days, we have just been non-stop going and it’s been busy. It’s been fun and it’s a good change of pace.”

“It’s a fantastic day for shopping. Everyone is in great spirits, and it’s a great opportunity for us to engage with our customers, and you know, we bring them up and they bring us up. Just a very happy time and they’re having fun picking up those last-minute gifts.”

Finding the perfect gift is no easy task, but at the end of the day, it’s not just about what the gift is.

“Get something that’s sentimental, because the price doesn’t matter as long as the person feels your intention behind the gift,” Abdou said.

“Probably the best gift is the gift of time,” Apache Mall General Manager Kim Bradley added. “It’s not necessarily the material things, but really experiencing the moment with your family.”

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