I guess maybe you guys werent aware (or forgot) but gf's last two december auctions both ended around this same time ie hours after wake-up time on the east coast so around the 9am range. Last years didnt end til around 8:30 am if I remember correctly (I usually make a note of ending times for most auctions when I remember to so I will have to check my records from last december) and two years ago in 2012 it definitely went past 7 am and probably even later than that so I will have to check; that being said, this is nothing new for them.
However, gf's antics pale in comparison to mears' record-breaking ending time of their december 30th 2010 auction which didnt end til at least noon the following day (and it might have been 1 or even later, will have to check); as much as I love mears, that was absolutely ridiculous!!
edited to add: just found the email that troy of mears sent on december 31st, 2010 at 2:32 pm stating the auction (that was supposed to have ended the night before) would end no later than 8pm EST that night; so as of 2:32 in the afternoon it was still taking place and now that I think about it I think it ended sometime around 5pm that evening (so way before the 8pm cut off time lol) but much later than gf's 9ish end time today; maybe this will give gf something to shoot for next year!!