Here’s the best time to go to the mall for your last-minute holiday shopping

It’s crunch time for holiday shopping.

For consumers who prefer to buy online, time is running out, and they may now have to pay extra to ensure delivery before Dec. 25.

Others are flocking to the region’s malls for the last of their holiday gifts — and, depending on the time they go, encountering holly jolly hordes of panicked shoppers.

But it doesn’t have to be that way.

While the week before Christmas (and this year Hanukkah, too) is among the busiest times for area malls, even the most crowded places have slower periods. Some locations are also extending hours, encouraging shoppers to order products in advance, and urging them to check inventory ahead of time, if they want to avoid the hubbub.

At the Cherry Hill Mall, Willow Grove Park, Moorestown Mall, Plymouth Meeting Mall, and Springfield Mall, the least crowded times are “typically before lunch or in the evening after 6 p.m.,” Lisa Wolstromer, senior marketing director at Cherry Hill Mall, said earlier this month, referencing all the local PREIT properties.

“December is the busiest time of year for shopping, so while these times may be less crowded, they may not offer a completely relaxing experience,” Wolstromer added. “To make your trip as efficient as possible, we recommend visiting earlier in the season and during weekdays — Monday through Thursday — when foot traffic tends to be lighter.”

In Center City, the Fashion District Philadelphia experiences its lightest crowds between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. on Mondays and Tuesdays, according to general manager Ryan Williams.

“Fashion District Philadelphia is a great place to shop for the holidays in a quieter atmosphere during midmornings and early-afternoons,” Williams said.

Representatives for Simon, which owns several of the region’s malls including King of Prussia, declined to specify less-crowded times, citing corporate policies prohibiting the sharing of foot-traffic data.

Crystal Fresco, a regional vice president of marketing for Simon, encouraged customers to use the online Simon Search tool to look up whether items are in stock before they head out to King of Prussia, Gloucester Premium Outlets, Philadelphia Premium Outlets, or Oxford Valley Mall.

“In-person shopping is thriving, and we’re seeing lots of shopping bags and full parking lots,” Fresco said. “We encourage shoppers to plan ahead and check our individual mall websites for specific hours and events.”

When Philadelphia-area malls are open Christmas week

Here are this week’s extended holiday hours for the area’s most popular malls. Check the mall’s websites, linked below, for store-specific hours: