Photos by Shannon Litz/Nevada AppealABOVE: Charlotte Chacon who works in the portable electronics department of Best Buy talks to Minden resident Carolyn Phelps about an MP3 player on Friday.
With only one day left before Christmas, there were plenty of last-minute shoppers around town on Friday, but few seemed panicked.
At Best Buy in north Douglas County, where doors opened at
7 a.m., several people were merely picking up a few last-minute gifts.
Don and Tara Burke were so organized this season that they were in the store with their sons Hunter, 7, and Phoenix, 4, to select a little something for themselves - a new digital camera.
"We're here shopping for ourselves. Does that count?" asked Tara Burke, laughing.
"This," she said, pointing to a sale coupon, "expires tomorrow, and it's on our list, so we thought we'd get it today. We're all caught up with our shopping."
The boys were to receive an indoor trampoline and a radio-controlled helicopter, among other things this morning.
Vince Gates, owner of Carson City's Play Your Own Music, came into the store to select something for his wife.
"I could have been on the program a little earlier," he said, "but I work six days a week."
Sarah Kauffman of Gardnerville, was shopping with her husband Russ, children Cami, 8, and Tyler, 5, and family friend Marissa Matthews, also 8.
"We're just picking up a few last-minute things. We're ready, and we've been ready for a couple of weeks now," she said. "We got lots of toys - nothing big - but lots of miscellaneous things."
Russ Kauffman said he felt everything was under control this year.
"I feel pretty good, it's been a pretty easy year this year," he said.
For Carolyn Phelps of Minden, the outing to the popular electronics store was specific.
"I wanted to get a last-minute gift for my husband after thinking about it all week long," Phelps said. "I got my husband to join the gym, so I wanted to get him an MP3 player. There is always such good customer service, and that makes a difference. That's why I always come back here."
Dan Frias, the store's sales manager, said several products proved especially popular this season.
"The big movers have been eReaders - and iPods are always popular. Xbox Kinect has also been big this year," Frias said.