Shopping at the last minute? Here are some tips

I'm not usually a last-minute shopper. Typically, I have all of my gifts wrapped and under the tree by now.

But I know there are plenty of you procrastinators out there - including my husband.

So, I do have some advice for you from some of the experts out there who are selling the gifts you still need, and from some other last-minute shoppers who've been through this before.

The first advice Katie Heyer, manager of Learning Express Toys in Geneva Commons gave, is to not wait until the last minute.

"Lots of things are already gone," Heyer said. "You can't wait.

"It's so much harder for the people starting now. It's upsetting for us because things are gone."

I didn't figure that would help you much right now, considering there isn't much later you could shop. So the next advice she gave is be willing to compromise.

Because of the economy, many retails didn't go overboard when ordering gifts, she said. They ordered limited supplies and many of the hot items are already gone. Also, she said, the companies didn't produce any more than they thought they would need, so they too are low on supplies.

So if it's a Zhu Zhu pet you want, you might have to settle for a Webkinz instead.

There are plenty of fun items still on the shelves at Learning Express, she said. And just this week, they received new shipments in of some popular items - such as timed bookmarks and jewelry - for the last-minute shoppers.

Kate Welsh of Elgin, who was out shopping amid the crowds at Geneva Commons on the last weekend before Christmas, said a list is crucial for last-minute shoppers.

Welsh was sure she would still be buying items on her list on Christmas Eve, but she was hopeful she would finish in time.

"I don't have that long left and I still need to wrap it all," she said. "My plan is to make a list of exactly what I need and exactly where to go so I can do it all by Christmas," she said. "It's going to be hard to fit it in, but every year I wait and every year I get it done. You just have to have a plan."

Jenny Savage of Huntley was in line by 7 a.m. at Toys R Us along Randall Road in Algonquin this weekend trying to get a much-wanted Zhu Zhu pet for her daughter.

She said she still has four more people to buy for, and she plans to shop early morning and late at night to avoid the crowds.

"It's also good because that's when a lot of the shipments come in," Savage said. "You have a better chance of getting something that might be hard to get. You get first pick when it's not so crowded."

To help you procrastinators, many stores and malls do have extended hours early in the morning and late at night these last few days before Christmas.

For example, the Toys R Us on Randall in Algonquin will open at 6 a.m. today and stay open until 1 a.m. They'll open again at 6 a.m. on Christmas Eve, but you'll need to have everything you need by 9 p.m. when the store closes.

By the way, the clerks at the store say they have been getting shipments of Zhu Zhu pets in each day, and they advise you to be there when the store opens to have the best chance of getting one.

Today, Algonquin Commons and Geneva Commons will open at 9 a.m. and stay open until 10 p.m.

But tomorrow, Christmas Eve, Algonquin Commons closes at 5 p.m. and Geneva Commons will stay open until 6 p.m. Both are closed Christmas Day. Some stores within the mall may have earlier or later hours, so you may want to call ahead to see if you can shop even more extended hours.

The Meijer stores in Algonquin, Elgin and St. Charles along Randall, which usually are open 24 hours, will stay open all night tonight. However, they will close by 7 p.m. Christmas Eve and won't reopen again until December 26.

And if all else fails, there are plenty of Walgreens, CVS; and 7-11s up and down the corridor open on Christmas Day where you could maybe grab something. For example, the CVS along Randall in Crystal Lake is open 24 hours, and so are the Walgreens stores in Lake in the Hills at Algonquin and Randall Roads, and in Geneva on Randall at State Street.

Just make sure you don't get one of those car air fresheners. It's a pretty lame Christmas gift. Trust me, I've gotten one in my stocking more than once.

Amy Williams' column covers all the news of business along the Randall Road corridor from Batavia to Crystal Lake. Contact her at randallbiz@comcast.net or (847) 894-5036.