Throughout the year Melbourne man John Boruch collected $1 and $2 coins to fund his family\u2019s Christmas Eve feast.<\/p>\n
Boruch, who arrived at Queen Victoria Market on Friday morning dressed in a reindeer headband, planned to spend $1500 to $2000 on fresh seafood for his family\u2019s celebration.<\/p>\n
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As always, prawns are in high demand this Christmas.<\/span>Credit:<\/span>Luis Enrique Ascui<\/cite><\/p>\n It\u2019s a European tradition, he said, and one item must be on the table.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s got to be fish,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Crowds heaved at the market on Friday, and chief executive Meg Dalla Lana was optimistic patronage had returned to pre-COVID levels.<\/p>\n In the seafood hall, prawns and oysters were among the top-selling fare, as well as crayfish.<\/p>\n John Boruch was planning to spend big for his family\u2019s Christmas Eve feast.<\/span>Credit:<\/span>Luis Enrique Ascui<\/cite><\/p>\n Deep Blue Seafoods fishmonger Angelo Christopoulos found a spare minute to tell The Age<\/em>: \u201cWe\u2019re flat out!\u201d<\/p>\n Altona mother and daughter Paula and Meagan Carlesso bought small amounts of prawns to taste test from different vendors before choosing their favourites for their Christmas Day lunch.<\/p>\n They are expecting up to 20 family members around the table.<\/p>\n \u201cMy job is to bring the seafood, and I get about 5 kilograms of prawns,\u201d Paula said.<\/p>\n Queen Victoria Market fishmonger Michael Azzopardi. <\/span>Credit:<\/span>Luis Enrique Ascui<\/cite><\/p>\n Vendor Michael Azzopardi said Friday was \u201cbusier than the last few years for sure\u201d, but he was preparing for even bigger crowds come Christmas Eve on Saturday morning.<\/p>\n The frenzy came despite rising food prices. The latest CPI figures show a 3.2 per cent increase in the cost of food and non-alcoholic beverages in the September quarter.<\/p>\n Despite the state of the economy, Melbourne\u2019s suburban shopping centres were also doing a brisk trade on Friday morning as they entered the final 28-hour retail push.<\/p>\n Last-gasp shoppers could search for the perfect gifts until midnight on Friday at Chadstone and Eastland shopping centres, and until 2am at Highpoint.<\/p>\n Shoppers at Chadstone earlier this month.<\/span>Credit:<\/span>Joe Armao<\/cite><\/p>\n The Australian Retail Association and market research group Roy Morgan expected Victorians to shell out more than $17 billion between November 14 and Christmas Day.<\/p>\n Association chief executive Paul Zahra said many people were indulging in \u201cfreedom spending\u201d after a tough year, \u201cwhere people reward themselves after an intense and challenging period\u201d.<\/p>\n Chadstone centre manager Daniel Boyle was expecting 200,000 people through the doors over the two days before Christmas.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not unusual for people to sometimes leave their shopping to the last minute, and that\u2019s certainly what we\u2019re seeing this year,\u201d Boyle said.<\/p>\n Yabbies at Prahran Market.<\/span>Credit:<\/span>Wayne Taylor<\/cite><\/p>\n \u201cWe see a lot of activity in the tech space and people buying apparel … certainly fragrance is always very popular.\u201d<\/p>\n Shoppers did not seem deterred by the latest COVID wave, Boyle said, but people were planning their trips to the centre.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat we\u2019re seeing is that people are well-planned … people are shopping with purpose,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cChristmas extended trading hours provide a great opportunity for people to come in and shop early, or shop a little bit later to avoid those crowds in the peak of the day.\u201d<\/p>\n More than 1.2 million people have poured through Highpoint since the start of December.<\/p>\n The tally for the final week before Christmas is expected to reach 500,000.<\/p>\n Most shopping centres will wind up Christmas trading between 5pm and 6pm on Saturday. The Emporium in Melbourne\u2019s CBD will be a saviour for last-minute shoppers, until 7pm.<\/p>\n Chadstone Shopping Centre<\/strong><\/p>\n Friday, December 23: closes midnight<\/p>\n Saturday, December 24: 8am\u20136pm<\/p>\n Sunday, Christmas Day: closed<\/p>\n Monday, Boxing Day: 6am-11pm<\/p>\n Highpoint Shopping Centre<\/strong><\/p>\n Friday, December 23: closes 2am<\/p>\n Saturday, December 24: 8am-6pm<\/p>\n Sunday, Christmas Day: closed<\/p>\n Monday, Boxing Day: 8am-11pm<\/p>\n Eastland Shopping Centre<\/strong><\/p>\n Friday, December 23: closes midnight<\/p>\n Saturday, December 24: 8am-5.30pm (fresh food from 7am)<\/p>\n Sunday, Christmas Day: closed<\/p>\n Monday, Boxing Day: 8am-7pm<\/p>\n Southland Shopping Centre<\/strong><\/p>\n Friday, December 23: closes midnight<\/p>\n Saturday, December 24: 8am-5pm (fresh food from 7am)<\/p>\n Sunday, Christmas Day: closed<\/p>\n Monday, Boxing Day: 8am-7pm<\/p>\n Melbourne Central<\/strong><\/p>\n Friday, December 23: closes 9pm<\/p>\n Saturday, December 24: 10am-5pm<\/p>\n Sunday, Christmas Day: closed<\/p>\n Monday, Boxing Day: 8am-9pm<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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Christmas 2022 trading hours<\/h3>\n