The 11th hour: Tips for last-minute holiday shopping in Toronto

It's Christmas Eve, and Toronto malls are packed with present procrastinators looking to get their hands on some last-minute loot.

"It's really hectic and really crazy," saidAndres Escobal,while wading through hoards of shopping stragglers at the Eaton Centre. "It's like being at a concert. There's a wave of people following you."

CBC News spoke to Cathie Mostowyk, founder of GTA-basedShoestring Shopping, for some tips on how to stay sane during Christmas crunch time.

1. Get organized

First off, Mostowyk said it's important to follow in Santa's footsteps and make a list. "Make sure you have all the names on the list with some idea of what you're looking for."

2. Set a budget

Be wary of your wallet. "You have to have some idea of what you're spending on each of the people you've yet to buy a gift for," Mostowyk said.

3. Dress comfortably

It's freezing outside, and the heat is cranked inside. Mostowyk suggests leaving your coat in the car or in a locker.

"If you're laden down with parcels and you're lugging a heavy coat around, it just gets impossible to shop."

Wait until Boxing Day if you can

"You will get the best deals on Boxing Day itself," said Jeff Novak, brand director at RedFlagDeals.com. "Try and stretch your dollar as far as you can."

When it comes to tech items, Novak said price drops on the day after Christmas will be worth the wait.

"Your TVs, your video game systems, a lot of wearables like your Fitbits and things like that. We're seeing a lot of drones that will be on sale, and then we're going to be seeing a lot of action cameras like the GoPros."

Novak said there's a growing number of "omni-channel shoppers" in Canada:people who shop both in-store and online. Canadian retailers are implementing deals to entice both.

"Shoppers will see 'door-crasher deals'in-store, where a limited number of sale items will be available on a first-come-first served basis," he said. "Online, there will be 'lightning deals,'where items will be on sale for a limited amount of time."

To take advantage of those, Novak suggests creating online accounts in advance.

"If you want to jump on those deals, you don't want to be fumbling around, trying to put your credit card in or saying, 'Wait a minute. I can't remember my password to this site,'" Novak said. "Make sure you're well-prepped."

For people looking to brave the crowds and hit the malls on Boxing Day, he urges advanceresearch. "Prioritize which stores you're going to hit first, because things will sell out."

When can you shop?

The following GTA malls will be closed on Dec. 25, with the exception of the Pacific Mall, which is open 365 days a year:

Dufferin Mall

Dec. 24: 9 a.m. 5:30 p.m.

Dec. 26: 9 a.m. 10 p.m.

Eaton Centre

Dec. 24: 8 a.m. 6 p.m.

Dec. 26: 7 a.m. 9:30 p.m.

Erin Mills Town Centre

Dec. 24: 8:30 a.m. 6 p.m.

Dec. 26: 8 a.m. 8 p.m.

Fairview Mall

Dec. 24: 8:30 a.m. 6 p.m.

Dec. 26: 8 a.m. 9 p.m.

Pacific Mall

Dec. 24: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Dec. 25: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Dec. 26: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Scarborough Town Centre

Dec. 24: 8 a.m. 6 p.m.

Dec. 26: 8 a.m. 9 p.m.

Sherway Gardens

Dec. 24: 8 a.m. 6 p.m.

Dec. 26: 8 a.m. 8 p.m.

Shops at Don Mills

Dec. 24: 8:30 a.m. 5 p.m.

Dec. 26: 9 a.m. 8 p.m.

Square One

Dec. 24: 8 a.m. 6 p.m.

Dec. 26: 8 a.m. 8 p.m.

Vaughan Mills

Dec. 24: 9 a.m. 6 p.m.

Dec. 26: 7 a.m. 9 p.m.

Yorkdale Mall

Dec. 24: 9:30 a.m. 6 p.m.

Dec. 26: 8 a.m. 11 p.m.