NORFOLK, Va. — It’s the season of giving! And for a lot of us, it's the season of last-minute shopping.
Christmas is just days away and if you still need to buy a last-minute gift, you're not alone.
Dec. 23 is “Super Saturday,” a major retail event across the country because it's the last Saturday before Christmas.
Patrick Henry Mall in Newport News opened at 9 a.m., and shoppers arrived early to beat the crowds and grab deals before someone else did.
Williamsburg grandmother Shavonne Wright waited outside the mall for 20 minutes for doors to open up.
“We’re here doing some last-minute shopping because I am a procrastinator!" Wright joked. “We got up early, went for breakfast, and still had to wait in the parking lot but we’re here!”
Wright said she's buying a lot of gift cards this season to make the shopping process a little easier so she can get in and out before everyone else.
“This morning I wanted to be able to cruise through, get what I needed, and get on out of the way before the ones who are really last minute! See, I’m not really last minute because I’m here now," Wright said.
Super Saturday isn't just a big day for shoppers, it’s also a big day for small business owners.
Yvette Robinson -- owner of Mere Words and Expressions, a shop that specializes in things like custom-made mugs -- said she’s expecting a big boost in business thanks to the holiday procrastinators.
“Last year, last minute, they were in here. So I’m expecting the same thing, this year. A lot of people not knowing what they want, grabbing whatever they could find, cleaning out the shelves. I’m expecting all of that today," Robinson said. “I’m going to stay here until they put us out of the mall!”
According to the National Retail Federation, about 142 million people across the country will finish up their holiday shopping this weekend.
Patrick Henry Mall’s senior marketing director, Mikia Ross, said her team is expecting big crowds at the mall this weekend.
“We’ve got people running around for those last-minute gifts that we have that they need to pick up for their family members and their loved ones," Ross said. "We’ve got Santa here also for those last-minute keepsake memories. It’s going to be a fun and exciting day, today!”
Patrick Henry Mall is open on Saturday until 10 p.m. It will open on Christmas Eve from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. If you want a photo with Santa, you're encouraged to make a reservation.