TIME RUNNING OUT FOR LATE SHOPPERS

It's crunch time for Christmas shopping.

The lines are long; procrastinators are fighting over items remaining on the shelves.

There are only two more shopping days until Christmas.

A few stores opened today at 6 a.m. and will open at 6 again Wednesday. Some will remain open tonight until 11 or midnight.

Many retailers will close at 6 p.m. Christmas Eve, but some will remain open until 8. At east one -- Walgreens -- will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Christmas Day.

In the Midwest, consumers are expected to spend about 4 percent more than last year.

Many people still have some names on their Christmas lists.

Big crowds were in Cape Girardeau Saturday and Sunday. There were full parking lots at West Park Mall, Cape West Business Park, Town Plaza Shopping Center and along the streets in downtown Cape Girardeau. The crowds didn't lessen much Monday.

Ernest and Ollie Eudy of Jonesboro, Ill., were at West Park Mall Monday. "He's finished," said Ollie Eudy. "I'm just starting."

Carl and Mary Winn each had presents under their arms at West Park Mall. "We're through," said Mary Winn. "We just bought our last gift."

Another Illinoisan, Shirley Miller of McClure, said she was basically finished with her shopping, but was "just taking a final look around."

"It's too early to be finished," said Charles E. Kruse of Dexter. Kruse, president of the Missouri Farm Bureau, was shopping with his two sons -- Scott, a coach in the Bell City School District, and Ben, a junior at the University of Missouri.

Kruse said it is always better to "be under pressure."

Cape Girardean Ron Dirnberger of Thorngate, Ltd. was making some final rounds Monday. "Two more gifts," he said. "Then I'll be finished."

This week many stores have brought out the big discounts again, hoping to lure shoppers back the final days before Christmas.

Apparently it is working: A few lines were formed at cash registers in some of the big retailers -- Famous Barr, JCPenney's, Wal-Mart, Kmart, Sears and Target.

Numerous ads in Sunday's Southeast Missourian listed some of the latest holiday clearances -- 33 percent off on miscellaneous items, 50 percent off on clothing, and 70 percent off on jewelry.