Last-Minute Shoppers Make a Mad Dash for the Stores

It's their last chance to buy Christmas gifts

It's the last chance to get the boxes into the trunk and under the tree.

Shoppers at Toys R Us in Doral made a mad dash to their cars once they had escaped long lines of procrastinators inside the store. It was hard to believe Christmas Eve was in full swing, with a parking lot full of cars. The toy retailer extended Christmas Eve hours to 10  p.m. this year.

Over at Miami International Mall, children got their last wishes in with Santa. Kristin, a little girl waiting in line to see the big guy, said she  wanted "a pair of high heels and a Barbie Powerwheel Car. "

Many shoppers said they waited until the very last minute because they were waiting for the pre-Christmas paycheck.

"I got a chain with a key to my heart," said Nemmesys Ventura as he showed off his last minute finds for the special ladies in his life: his girlfriend, mother and sister.

Not everyone was so lucky. Edwin Molina, who works at a kiosk in the mall says he was too busy putting in extra hours, to buy many gifts.

"I regret it a lot. I wish I would have started back in October or November," he said.  "Business is booming."

Molina was shocked to see so many more shoppers this year. It surprised retailers as well, which have seen a better than expected season. Despite real concerns over the state of the economy and unemployement rates, retailers are expected to ring up more than $469.1 billion during the holiday season.

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