SHOPPERS TACKLE STORES CUSTOMERS HIT DOORS BEFORE DAWN TO SPEND LAVISHLY ON HOLIDAY.

Byline: Peggy Hager Staff Writer

PALMDALE - Shoppers were waiting at midnight outside Best Buy and lined up around the Target store at dawn - some brought in by recorded celebrity voices that people could get for wake-up calls.

At the Antelope Valley Mall, shoppers were loaded down with bags of merchandise by midmorning Friday, the traditional first shopping day of the Christmas season.

``The mall is packed. We are definitely anticipating positive sales,'' mall marketing manager Diana Fiori said.. ``We're pleased with the turnout and the mall is very busy.''

At Target, digital cameras and personal DVD players were gone within 30 minutes of the 6 a.m. opening. Bratz and Barbie dolls were also popular.

``It's just been a crazy morning,'' Target Assistant Manager Tammy Ware said. ``Everything's going real well.'' When the store opened this morning, waiting customers were lined up around the building on 10th Street West and Rancho Vista Boulevard.

Tired Antelope Valley Mall shoppers rested on benches and the edges of fountains, while newly arrived shoppers hurried from store to store searching for the best deals.

Shopper Tom Avila and a friend spent nearly $500 between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m. for presents and were ready to head home. His best deal so far was Target's digital camera for $99.

``We're going to go out to breakfast and probably call it a day,'' said Avila. ``We hit all the sales that we wanted. We got all the deals.''

For Pat Vasquez and son Jesus, holiday shopping was especially poignant. Jesus, 21, the eldest of seven, is home on leave from the U.S. Navy.

``I stopped for two years because my son is in the military and he was in Iraq so this is the first year since 2002 we got back to do this,'' explained Pat. ``So today's a treat.''

The pair woke up at 4:30 a.m. and spent the morning buying electronics, video games, VCRs, clothes, shoes and jewelry for his six sisters ages 12-18. Pat Vasquez said she had spent over $1,000 by 9:30 a.m.

They hoped to finish their shopping by noon and celebrate Thanksgiving a day late.

For holiday shoppers, the mall will be open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily until Dec. 11.

From Dec. 12 through Dec. 23, the mall will be open 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. On Christmas Eve the mall is open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Fiori's suggestion for procrastinating shoppers is to buy mall gift certificates from the mall service desk. The certificates are good at all mall businesses, including the theater and restaurants.

Peggy Hager, [phone]

peggy.grimm-hager(at)dailynews.com

CAPTION(S):

2 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) Shoppers looking for bargains jammed the Antelope Valley Mall on Friday, the traditional beginning of shopping for Christmas gifts.

(2) (Pat Vasquez and son Jesus, who's been away in the military, hit the stores early and did most of their shopping in a few hours.)

Jeff Goldwater/Staff Photographer