Some Are Shopping For The Holidays Now -- Should You?

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Some people have already begun their holiday shopping. But does it really pay off to be an early bird?

Aaron Willis is among those to get a jump on his shopping.

"It's a little less crazy in the store, and I think the prices are probably better," he told CBS 2's Cindy Hsu while shopping at the Toys-R-Us in Times Square.

Willis' 3-year-old son, Nathan, began making his Christmas wish list after he celebrated his third birthday in March.

When asked what he wanted for Christmas, Nathan told Hsu: "Fire trucks!"

Cruz Henriquez said she's already purchased and shipped the Christmas gifts for her two grandchildren.

"I finished already," she said. "I started last week."

A recent survey of nearly 200 major retailers found that nearly half of them will launch their holiday campaigns before Halloween. Some stores have already released their lists of the hottest holiday toys.

Mark LoCastro of DealNews.com urges shoppers to wait.

"Don't buy your toys during Black Friday," he said. "Wait until December, specifically two weeks before Christmas, and you'll receive 50 to 60 percent off."

While some parents may fear that the hottest items might sell out, LoCastro said that is rare.

LoCastro also suggested that shoppers visit deal websites and sign up for email alerts on the items they're targeting. He said buyers will likely save more online and recommended they look for coupon codes, free shipping and price-matching guarantees.

To be sure, there are plenty of people who aren't even thinking about their holiday purchases yet.

"I'm not ready," said Santina Grillo of Staten Island. "I'm not even ready when December comes."