Is it a habit, choice or a good idea?
The Christmas season wouldn't be the same without all of the last minute shoppers.
While the snow fell outside, the Quincy Mall was quite busy inside as everyone was trying to get those last few Christmas gifts December 24th.
Across the street from the mall a steady stream of procrastinators rolled into Emerald City Jewelers all Christmas Eve morning and afternoon.
KHQA's Jarod Wells did some investigating to see what drives them to put off their shopping until the absolute last minute.
Emerald City Jewelers owner Sherri Busse said, "People are coming in to get those last minute gifts to buy off a wish list."
There seems to be something eerily similar among all the last minute shoppers.
Busse said, "Often on Christmas Eve the men are out shopping."
Jarod was able to speak to some of these last minute shopping repeat offenders, one of which has been a part of this trend for decades.
One last minute shopper said, "I've been married for 40 years and it's been a 40 year tradition so why break a streak. It's just always been something I like to do. My wife says Christmas Eve is my day to do what I need to do."
Another last minute shopper said, "Well I've always been one of those people that operate well under pressure. I kind of need that added incentive to get things done so I wait until the last minute and come out."
This last minute shopper seems to have a method behind the madness.
Last minute shopper #2 said, "Any last minute deals. I also like to wait because I always get last minute ideas too and if I go do my shopping early and I'm done, then I can't go out if something were to come up, somebody were to mention they want something. So I like to come out at the last minute because It's really just want makes me get things."
While you may sit back and judge all the people who put their shopping off until the absolute last minute, the recipients of these gifts don't care when they were bought as long as the shopper brings home some bling.
Many of the people we saw Christmas Eve day were, in fact, last minute shoppers, but there were many other who had shopped earlier and were just picking up their gifts.