With Christmas only days away, lots of Islanders are still looking for that perfect gift. And while many try to purchase their gifts ahead of time, the rest test their luck at last minute shopping.
One such shopper was Charlottetown resident Guy Perry, who was at Best Buy Saturday afternoon looking for gift ideas.
“I’ve got my three sons with me and we’re out investigating GPS units for the wife,” he said, adding his wife was also out shopping at another store.
Perry said he tries not to leave his shopping until two days before Christmas, but said it sometimes works out that way.
“I find that scheduling kind of forces me into the habit, it’s inevitable.”
Despite being so close to the holiday, Perry said there are still lots to choose from.
“I suppose some of the lower end items are probably gone, you know, Canadians like a deal,” he said. “But it’s not bad overall. I’d say the prices are pretty reasonable, so all in all, I feel good.”
Shaunderay Clyke, who was wrapping presents at a pop-up kiosk at the Charlottetown Mall, said she noticed an increase in shoppers at the mall on Saturday.
Clyke and her 14-year-old son Anthony were wrapping gifts as a way to raise funds for Anthony’s Grade 9 class trip.
The Birchwood Intermediate student is one of 15 students heading to Ontario and Quebec in February.
Along with fundraising barbecues in the summer, Clyke said the students have been wrapping gifts each Saturday in December and said the fundraiser was going well.
“We probably have enough (money raised) for eight kids to go right now. People have been very generous,” she said. “This is the first Saturday that it really took off and, unfortunately, it’s our last Saturday but everybody waits until the last minute.”
Clyke, who used to work at the mall, said Saturday was one of the busiest she’s seen the mall.
“Everyone is starting to get into the season, there’s snow on the ground so everyone’s trying to get into the spirit.”
HERE IS A LIST OF WHAT’S OPEN AND WHEN
There’s still time to get those last-minute holiday gifts.
Many businesses will be closed Christmas Day and Boxing Day, and will have limited shopping hours on Christmas Eve.
The following store hours are as follows:
- Atlantic Superstores are open Dec. 24 from 12-5 p.m., closed Dec. 25-26;
- Sobey’s stores are open Dec. 24 from 12-5 p.m., closed Dec. 25-26;
- Foodland in Charlottetown is open Dec. 24 from 12-4 p.m., closed Dec. 25-26;
- Foodland in Bloomfield and Summerside are open Dec. 24 from 12-5 p.m., closed Dec. 25-26;
- Agro Coop Charlottetown is closed Dec. 24-26;
- Morell Consumers Cooperative Store is open Dec. 24 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., closed Dec. 25-26;
- Souris Co-op is open Dec. 24 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., closed Dec. 25-26;
- Wellington and Co-op is open from 12-5 p.m., closed Dec. 25-26;
- O’Leary and Tignish Co-ops are open Dec. 24 from 12-4 p.m., closed Dec. 25-26;
- Charlottetown Mall is open Dec. 24 from 12-5 p.m., closed Dec. 25-26;
- Confederation Court Mall is open Dec. 24 from 12-4 p.m., closed Dec. 25-26;
- County Fair Mall in Summerside is open Dec. 24 from 12-5 p.m., closed Dec. 25-26;
- Walmart in both Charlottetown and Summerside open Dec. 24 from 12-6 p.m., closed Dec. 25-26
- Shoppers Drug Mart University Avenue Charlottetown is open Dec. 24 from 8 a.m. to midnight, Dec. 25 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Dec. 26 from 9 a.m. to midnight;
- Shoppers Drug Mart Wes Royalty is open Dec. 24 from 8 a.m. to midnight, Dec. 25 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Dec. 26 from 8 a.m. to midnight;
- Shoppers Drug Mart Confederation Court Mall is open Dec. 24 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Dec. 25 is closed, Dec. 26 open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.;
- Shoppers Drug Mart Summerside is open Dec. 24-26 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.;
- Murphy’s Pharmacy locations:
Parkdale - open Dec. 24 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Dec. 25 is closed, Dec. 26 open from 10 a.m to 6 p.m.;
Stratford – open Dec. 24 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Dec. 25 is closed, Dec. 26 open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Cornwall – open Dec. 24 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Dec. 25 is closed, Dec. 26 open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
West Royalty – open Dec. 24 from 12-4 p.m., Dec. 25 is closed, Dec. 26 open from 12-5 p.m.
East Royalty – open Dec. 24 from 12-4 p.m., Dec. 25 is closed, Dec. 26 open from 1-5 p.m.
Queen Street – open Dec. 24 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Dec. 25 is closed, Dec. 26 open from 1-5 p.m.
Kensington – Dec. 24 open from 1-4 p.m., Dec. 25 is closed, Dec. 26 open from 1-5 p.m.
Morell, Rustico, Summerside, Tyne Valley, Wellington, Home Health and - Summerside post off office – Closed from Dec. 24-26
Central Street – Dec. 24 open from 12-4 p.m., Dec. 25 is closed, Dec. 26 open from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Valley Pharmacy – Dec. 24 open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Dec. 25 is closed, Dec. 26 open from 12-5 p.m.
Parkdale post office and Stratford post office – Dec. 24 open from 12-5 p.m., Dec. 25-26 is closed
- Kensington post office – Dec. 24 open from 1-4 p.m., Dec. 25-26 is closed
- Upstreet Craft Brewing is open Dec. 24 noon-6 p.m.; Dec. 25 closed and opens on Boxing Day 12 noon-midnight.
- Mel’s Petro Canada is open Dec. 24 from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. (alcohol sold only between the hours of 12-6 p.m.), Dec. 25 is closed and opens on Boxing Day.
- Gahan House is open Dec. 24 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Dec. 25 is closed and opens again on Boxing Day 11 a.m.-11 p.m.
- Most Needs Convenience stores will close at 10 p.m. Christmas Eve
