Shoppers in search of last-minute Christmas bargains - 13 WTHR Indianapolis

Last-minute shoppers were scurrying around Castleton Square Mall on Christmas Eve day hoping to find some gifts.

Bob Hughey was looking slightly panicked.

"It's real," he said, referring to his look of panic. "I've been out of town all week so today is the day I shop for my wife and I have to get it done by six," he said.

He wasn't the only one.

Rosaline Young-Perry told us she had four more items to pick up.

"We started at nine and we'll go until about two, go home and relax and wrap everything we should have bought way before," said Jerry Martzall.

One shopper said she didn't mind the last-minute trip. "Just the last-minute gift cards for family and friends. You make it easy. There's no one in the mall. You get in and get out," William Boone.

Of course, the crowds did pick up as they day wore on. Retailers were glad to see the late surge, but also were looking forward to a break. They've been working some long hours.

At the Finish Line, they kept their energy up by cheering every time someone donated to their youth fund.

"We're pretty much running on holiday cheer and getting the job done and having fun into the last home stretch, getting donations and rocking out," said Justin Campos, Finish Line.

If you look around, there seems to be a common thread: the majority of last-minute shoppers seem to be men. But they say they're getting a bum rap.

"I think it's the wife's fault because they don't tell us what they want. It's the same every year. They don't need anything and you know if you don't buy anything you'll be in trouble," joked William Boone. "I think women change their minds a lot so we get the last deal they want."

But to be fair, we also found some men like Lederick Lewis waiting on their wives. Lewis describes his wife as "last-minute."

"Unfortunately, we've been getting a bad rap a long time, but that's not the case," said Lewis.

Either way, most people seemed to be in pretty good spirits.

"I'm just having a good time, hanging out, just enjoying the season. I'm really trying to get into the season of giving and hoping everyone is happy with I got," said Beverly Averitt.@