Shoppers filled the main streets of towns and cities across the country today, rushing around to get their last minute Christmas presents wrapped up.
Dunedin's George Street was packed with flustered shoppers, many trying to tick off the last gifts on their list, or searching for some inspiration.
Christmas is usually the busiest time of year for retailers. But with Sunday fast approaching, shoppers browsing the stores on Friday knew they were running out of time to get the perfect presents for their loved ones.
And today's rush isn't likely to slow down. Stores say Christmas Eve is typically one of the busiest shopping days, particularly give it falls on a Saturday this year.
Many on the streets of Dunedin today were still trying to buy gifts for multiple family members and friends, making their last-minute excursions a bit more complicated.
One shopper told The South Today he still had to buy Christmas gifts for his wife, and both his son's partners.
"I have no idea what to get for them which makes things a little bit tricky", he said.
Latest figures from Worldline NZ - formerly Paymark - reveals Kiwis spent $881 million electronically in the week before Christmas, with spending up about 2% on last year's figures.
In the Otago region, retail spending saw one of the highest regional increases, up by 8.7% compared to 2022, which bodes well for local stores this Christmas season.
