Photo: WBZ NewsRadio
BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — For some, today is a day to relax with family and friends, but for others, the hours leading up to Christmas were frantic for those who dared to do last-minute shopping.
"Stressful, it's expensive, I don't like the crowds," one shopper said.
Christmas Eve was busy in Downtown Crossing from Macy's to Primark to the many smaller stores in the area, filled with last-minute shoppers like this young woman.
"Last-minute shopping. I had to get it done. I was in the house the entire week. I'm on vacation right now. I'm on vacation, so I had to go out and get some stuff for my grandma," one shopper said.
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Data from the National Retail Federation shows that nearly 5% of Americans did their shopping on Christmas Eve. Different people have different reasons for waiting until the last minute to do their shopping, as discovered in Downtown Crossing.
"I wait to the last minute," one shopper said. "Because my brother did not make a list, and he woke up today and told me what he wanted."
According to a Gallup Poll, Americans in households making less than $50,000 are expected to spend nearly $650 on holiday gifts, down from $776 in 2024. Middle-income earners were predicted to spend $847, while households earning over $100,000 are predicted to spend nearly $1,500.
WBZ NewsRadio's Carl Stevens (@CarlWBZ) reports.