Bargain hunters raid dept stores

Flurry of frugality: Shoppers seeking bargains at the IOI Resort Mall in Putrajaya.

KUALA LUMPUR: It is never too late to shop for Yuletide gifts, even on the eve of Christmas Day itself as proven by shoppers at MidValley Megamall here.

The mall was packed with last-minute shoppers hoping to complete their list of Christmas gifts for friends and family.

For Rosanne Colin, the last-minute shopping spree has become a tradition of sorts.

“Our family always starts our Christmas shopping a couple of days before Christmas, either on Dec 23 or 24,” said the 21-year-old student.

“Things are still quite pricey at the beginning of December, so we usually wait till the eleventh hour to score reasonable bargains on Christmas gifts.”

Like Colin, assistant finance manager Chong Foong Kim, 27, took advantage of the discounts to choose her gifts for a Christmas party.

“I prefer to delay my Christmas shopping as things are much cheaper with all the promotions. It is an added bonus when the products are presented in nice packaging as it saves me the hassle of gift wrapping,” she said.

In terms of selecting the perfect gift, Chong said that she would generally buy cosmetic and body care products for women, while she would go for electronic gadgets such as speakers and headphones for men.

Henny Lee, 57, offered some advice on what was the best gift for children.

“I usually distribute chocolates to the children in my church. They like the chocolates,” she said.

Elisangela Smajli, 37, was seen testing shades of makeup together with her sister at a booth selling cosmetic products.

“I bought my 17-year-old and 14-year-old daughters cosmetics and digital appliances ... things that they usually would use in their daily lives,” she said.

While many scrambled for last-minute gifts, others preferred to plan out their gifts and bought them early to avoid the hassle.

“I have been picking out suitable gifts for my family members throughout the whole year,” said human resources officer Leanne Cheah who was seen shopping with her daughter Erin Kong, seven, and son Evan, six.

“It is just the little details that I leave towards Christmas. Gift shops and department stores are good places to visit for Christmas shopping.”