Metro shoppers have had enough. And the stretch run o'er the holiday retail landscape was more of a jog than a sprint this year.

Area shopping hotspots found a steady flow of last minute shoppers but there was no overwhelming business.

Retailers say the biggest crowds swamped sales clerks on Monday and Tuesday.

According to the International Council of Shopping Centers, the day before Christmas was the seventh-busiest holiday shopping day last year. But some of the largest middle and discount-priced department stores, including Target and Wal-Mart, reported holiday sales falling below projections this year.