STORM WATCH

Tracking scattered overnight snow & rain in NJ followed by cold strong winds

Last-minute holiday shoppers hit New Jersey stores

News 12's Amanda Lee was at Willowbrook Mall in Passaic County as residents stocked up on gifts for the holidays.

News 12 Staff

Dec 23, 2023, 5:18 PM

Updated 346 days ago

Share:

Last minute holiday shoppers visited malls and stores across New Jersey after flooding from Tuesday’s storm hindered travel for many residents.
News 12's Amanda Lee was at Willowbrook Mall in Passaic County as residents stocked up on gifts for the holidays.
The mall stayed open until 9 p.m. Saturday, an additional hour longer than its usual schedule.
"We’re expecting a really big Saturday and were expecting a really big Sunday. Christmas Eve is Sunday this year and Bergen County shopping is closed. So, were going to be the number one stop for a lot of people in the area,” said general manager Ryan Hildalgo.
According to the National Retail Federation, nearly 142 million people were expected to shop on the last Saturday before Christmas.
Earlier on Saturday at Newark Liberty International Airport, it was a quiet morning, but according to the Port Authority, nearly 14 million are expected to use airports, bridges and tunnels this holiday. It advised airport travelers to arrive two to three hours prior to departure. The 13-day travel peak period is from Thursday, Dec. 21, to Tuesday, Jan. 2.
The Port Authority said it expects this to be the busiest Christmas and New Year travel period ever for its three major airports.