Shoppers Still Head To Tri-State Area Malls, Stores On 'Super Saturday' For Holiday Shopping Despite Pandemic
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- The countdown to Christmas is on, and that had a lot of people hitting the stores Saturday, trying to finish up their holiday shopping.
Whether inside a big mall or hitting the stores of Times Square, some people took part in "Super Saturday" this last weekend before Christmas.
Suzy Genao, of Bloomfield, New Jersey, appreciates that kids Madison and Mason can escape the cabin fever of home and get active while she can complete her Christmas shopping at New Jersey's American Dream Mall.
"What a great mall, right? You have everything in one place," she said.
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Sebastian Chaviano and Tatiana Lopez prefer popping in and out of Times Square stores.
"It's much better than the mall, in my opinion," Chaviano told CBS2's Dave Carlin.
"And it's like all open," Lopez said.
The bags they lug around multiply, loaded with clothes candy and stuffed animals.
This final dash gets done despite the pandemic.
The National Retail Federation estimates more than 150 million Americans are taking part in Super Saturday and that includes those doing it online.
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At the mall, store managers say it's quieter than they had hoped, but COVID-conscious shoppers in masks are glad to have even more room for social distancing.
Some Times Square merchants are disappointed.
"Because of the virus, there's not a lot of tourists here, so it has been very slow," bakery manager Maria Triana said.
Elda Hernandez, of Groton, Connecticut, basks in the satisfied feeling of getting her shopping done.
"This is more like just family time, which is more important," she said.
After shopping, some are dropping by the post office to get packages on their way.
"I'm scrambling and I'm here," said Joy Luangphaxay, of Midtown.
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She now has her packages in the system and it's fingers crossed. She figures she should be OK, but if shipping delays strike, she says that'll be OK, too, because a healthy holiday is the most important thing.
FedEx says Dec. 21 is the last day for gifts to arrive by Christmas using Express Saver and 3-Day Freight Service.
Dec. 21 is also the deadline for UPS and its 3-Day Select.
The U.S. Postal Service says Dec. 23 is the deadline for Priority Mail Express.
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