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Last-minute shopping guideby Martina BlombergIt happened again. Christmas is here and - judging from the increasing number of people hurrying out to shop as the hours tick down - it arrived with little or no warning. According to a national survey by pricegrabber.com, 75 percent of holiday shoppers will still be out today to find and buy those thoughtful gifts that show just how much the recipients mean to them. The stores are ready for them, with discounts going deeper and deeper as the holiday draws closer. But many are curtailing hours, so the window of opportunity is shutting pretty quickly. The Oaks Mall will be open today from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. and closed all day Sunday. Doors will reopen Monday at 10 a.m. Becky Bumgarner, senior marketing manager at the Oaks Mall, said, "It has been an absolutely good year. We won't have the numbers until next month, but it appears this is the best year - January until now - in the history of the mall." Verbal reports by many store managers indicate everyone is enjoying a profitable season, including the many kiosks that offer the unique items, she said. Albertson's at Butler Plaza, normally open 24 hours a day, will be shutting down at 9 tonight. In case you need to resupply for Christmas dinner, it will be open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, and back to normal hours on Monday. All Publix Super Markets close at 7 this evening and will remain so until 7 a.m. Monday. The Albertson's on NW 13th Street, normally open from 6 a.m. to 2 a.m., will be open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. today and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday before resuming normal hours Monday. The liquor store will be open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. today. If you're looking for the gift for the handyman, or woman, on your list, you need to get to The Home Depot or Lowe's Home Improvement Warehouse by 6 p.m. today or you will be out of luck. Drug stores may seem like a cheap place to buy gifts, but are probably the most convenient and economical choice to find the small appliance, camera or perfume. Walgreen Drug Stores stores are open 24 hours a day, and will be lit up all night. CVS stores in Gainesville have varying hours. The one at Hunter's Crossing is open until 9 tonight, and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. The CVS at the corner of Archer Road and SW 34th Street will remain open throughout the holiday, 24 hours a day. Kmart at Newberry Crossing, which has been advertising 50-percent off sales for several weeks, will be open until 9 tonight, closed Sunday and reopened Monday at 7 a.m. The Wal-Mart at NW 13th Street - normally open 24 hours - will close this evening at 6 and remain so until Monday morning, when its doors will reopen. Archer Road's Wal-Mart will remain open all day today, all night tonight, and all day Sunday, closing at 6 p.m. for 12 hours before going back to a 24/7 schedule Monday morning. You may still find some knickknacks or fragrant Yankee Candles at Cracker Barrel Country Store at Archer Road and I-75, but you will need to do it right after lunch, since the restaurant and store close at 2 p.m. today and won't reopen until 6 a.m. Monday. Keep an eye on your automobile's gas gauge, though, because some stations will be closing or curtailing hours. Rousseau Enterprises, which operates several Exxon-Mobil stations and stores in Alachua County, will be keeping most of their outlets open except for the Archer Road Alligator Alley station. Almond Oil, which operates most Citgo stations in town, is closing all locations on Christmas Day. Stick to your budget As time gets short, credit counselors warn about impulse shopping. Procrastinators are more likely to overspend, and that could lead to more problems down the road, according to the Family Credit Counseling Service. Its annual Financial Stress Survey of more than 1,500 consumers with credit card debt showed 61 percent of individuals planned to spend less on holiday gifts this year - but that was earlier in the season. "When consumers are rational, they plan to spend less. The last minute is the most dangerous time because we are rushed. Some of us may feel guilty about not spending as much as our emotions want. Or we simply have less time to put thought into a budget-conscious gift," said Michael McAuliffe, president of Family Credit Counseling Service. Retailers could get an extra bump because the holiday falls on Sunday, and many shoppers will also have the day after Christmas off. "We expect to see sales on Dec. 26 out-perform those of 2004, adding another strong day to the holiday shopping calendar," said Bill Martin, co-founder of ShopperTrak, an international provider of retail information in a release. Bumgarner at The Oaks Mall said retailers are bracing for the onslaught Monday, which she said is among the top 10 shopping days of the year. "People think everyone is here for returns. But we are finding more and more shoppers are taking advantage of the great sales and clearance items." She said the season has been invigorating. "It's funny. After the season is over and the hubbub of all the shoppers stops, it's a real letdown." Article Reprinted Courtesy of The Gainesville Sun 
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