In a year that has been unlike any other, there is one thing that doesn't seem to change: last-minute holiday shopping.
It was not a usual Christmas Eve at the Cross County Shopping Center in Yonkers as many shoppers needed to buy additional gifts.
Yonkers resident Ralph Alvia said it was hard to find time to get to stores this year.
“Because they're closing early, so it makes it a little bit more difficult to get to the stores right after work. So, I'm just glad to be off today to finish my last-minute shopping,” Alvia said.
For David Paterson, of the Bronx, it was refreshing in this pandemic to just shop.
In a year where shoppers spent $10 billion on Cyber Monday, and the United States Postal Service experiencing record holiday volume, people like seeing support, while being safe, for brick-and-mortar stores.
"There's still a lot to be thankful for," Patterson said.
No matter what they open Christmas morning, in this tough year, these New Yorkers have something else on their Christmas list.
"We still have our health," Paterson said.
"For everybody who's still with each other, that we're all still living," Alvia said.
"Stay safe, and God bless and Merry Christmas everyone!" said shopper David Righter.