TAMPA, Fla. — On Christmas Eve, while many families were already home wrapping gifts or prepping dinner, International Mall in Tampa was still buzzing with shoppers weaving in and out of stores, phones in hand and gift receipts at the ready. Tampa Bay 28 reporter Jada Williams went to the mall to ask a simple question: Why wait until the very last minute?
The answers were honest, funny, and surprisingly relatable.
WATCH: Last-minute shoppers share why Christmas Eve still works for them at Tampa International Mall
One of the first shoppers Williams spoke with was Ryan, who admitted that Christmas Eve shopping isn’t an accident; it’s a tradition.
“I’m here to do my annual last-minute shopping for my wife,” Ryan said. “She basically helps me survive by doing everyone else in the family, so I have to take care of her.”
Ryan explained that waiting until the last minute actually works for him, not against him.
“I do this every year,” he said. “It kind of works with my ADHD. I like to hyper-focus for a very short period of time, knock it out, and then I’m good to go.”
For Ryan, Christmas Eve shopping also comes with another advantage: fewer crowds.
“Everyone thinks it’s crazy,” he said, gesturing around the mall, “but look at it. I don’t have to fight the masses, so it’s kind of nice. It works out.”
There was just one problem. Ryan still didn’t know what he was buying.
“I’m waiting on a text from my wife,” he explained. “But my mother also buys her gifts, so I’m kind of waiting to see what my mom got. I have no idea. It’s going to be a total surprise.”
Williams asked if his family was used to this routine.
“Oh yeah, totally,” Ryan said. “They know this is how I thrive. It is what it is. I’ll be there on Christmas with a smile on my face, ready to spend time with the family.”
He also admitted the gift might not be a perfect match.
“She may want to return it, so I’ll keep the gift receipt,” he said. “We’ll figure it out.”
Last-minute shopper William said procrastination wasn’t exactly the reason he was at the mall. Instead, a hectic work schedule made it hard to find time.
“I travel a lot for work,” he said.
William was shopping for his daughters, ages 18 and 20, and said gift cards were the easiest option.
“Books,” he said. “Barnes & Noble gift cards.”
Meanwhile, not everyone at the mall was scrambling for gifts.
Katie explained that her friend had the day off and had never been to International Mall before, so they decided to visit, grab lunch, and walk around.
“I finished all my Christmas shopping yesterday,” she said.
Still, she admitted that being at the mall on Christmas Eve felt familiar.
“I was just talking about it,” Katie laughed. “I was like, ‘I waited until the last. That’s me.’ And now I’m here just in case I remember somebody today.”
Whether driven by work schedules, procrastination, tradition, or just curiosity, Christmas Eve shopping is alive and well at International Mall. And for many shoppers, waiting until the last minute isn’t stressful at all; it’s just how they do the holidays.
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