Retail sales numbers have been on the rise this holiday season, but the time you have to do your holiday shopping is running out.
NewsChannel 15 caught up with some shoppers at Coastal Grand Mall in Myrtle Beach Friday who say realize they have about two weeks left to shop and that crunch time can be stressful.
"Ho, ho, ho! It's going great," said Patti Perry of Hemingway, who spent the afternoon at Coastal Grand Mall.
Holiday shopping's going great if you're "almost finished," said Laura Warde, from Wilmington, NC.
"We start early. We've started probably a month or so ago, picking up a little bit here and a little bit there," said Arris Morgan of Pamplico.
Then there's those who still have some work to do, like Shannon Haselden of Johnsonville who said, "I've got a baby sitter lined up to watch the kids and going to finish it up this weekend -- do or die."
"I'm off today from work," said Connie Kelly of Rockingham, NC, "and I'll be off two days next week and I'll probably be shopping December the 24th, as usual."
And, of course, there's those who "haven't even started yet," as is the case with Mandy Crosland of Myrtle Beach.
Some who have started have noticed that tough times mean you can't always get everything for everyone.
"I'm trying, but sometimes you have to have a limit and that's it," said Patti Kelly.
Others admit, while the economy should be impacting their spending habits, it hasn't.
"Because I have three daughters that expect Christmas to go on no matter what," admitted Connie Kelly.
Those high holiday expectations can certainly be stressful.
"It always is," laughed Michael Sipes of Lumberton.
"Very stressful," sighed Mandy Crosland.
"Its hectic trying to get it all in and working as well," said Shannon Haselden.
Mark Zagulski owns and operates the Calendar Club Kiosk at Coastal Grand. He points out how holiday stress is not something solely felt by shoppers.
He said, "It does get stressful to try and keep up the inventory to try and make sure everybody gets what they want to get, but of course it is a little bit tricky this time of year."
"Holiday shopping is always stressful. You want to get the best bang for your buck," said Dewey King of Myrtle Beach.
To avoid the stress, many shoppers we spoke with suggest the following: make a list, be efficient, stick to your budget, consider gift cards and online shopping, and if you find a good deal, buy more than one to give as a gift to several people.
But whatever you do, "Remember one most important thing," stressed Michael Sipes, "Christmas gifts are a gift that you choose to give someone else, and don't worry if it's perfect for them."
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