It is crunch time for the Angel Tree at Becker Village Mall as unforeseen circumstances warranted a delay in publicity.

Those who have already participated in the program have until Monday to get their gifts back to the mall, according to the county Department of Social Services.

There is still time to pick an angel from the tree and purchase a gift, mall owner Ellen Heaton said.

(Mall winter hours will be Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. The mall will stay open Christmas Eve from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. and will close Christmas Day. New Year's Eve and New Year's Day hours are 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.)

There are ornaments on the tree for each child along with a list of items from their wish lists.

One only has to take a name, shop and take it back to the mall office, Cracker Barrel or to the box near the tree at Walmart. “We are in crunch time now, so, we are asking that gifts be taken back by Monday morning to each location. People can also bring the gifts to DSS,” said Frankie King of DSS.

Meanwhile, the mall will also be home to Toys for Tots.

Reser's will be picking up toys from Rocky Mount on December 10 and then transport them to the mall.

Workers will be sorting on December 12 and 13 and will have distribution on December 16.

For more information the Angel Tree call Heaton at 252-532-4066. For more information on Toys for Tots call Michelle Braswell at 536-6559.