I think Christmas is a commercial celebration... I do not buy things because of its season... However, I do appreciatte the offers, and sometimes I take them... Most of the time in shops that sell soaps and those kind of articles, which can be used all year round...
Just about every year, I have nieces and nephews to shop for that I sometimes don't get to see on Christmas, but are here locally. Rahter than mailing their gifts, this is my devious little plan.
I wait till after Christmas, then immediately go shopping for that year's "must have" thing. Obviously, this year it would be the Zhu Zhu pet.
Pick those up, make the trek to see them all sometime after Christmas, make them the happiest kids on Earth cuz they got the latest toy, and saved myself a bundle.
Tickle Me Elmo was the example from a year previous.
I ALWAYS shop after Christmas to find the best deals for the next year. This is how I've decorated my tree for years! There's a little craft shop in my hometown that has not so little prices, so I always wait until after Christmas. She always has tons of ornaments left all marked down by at least 50%! Nothing burns me up more than paying full price and then going back to find the item marked down. And it is the absolute best time of the year to get lights and cards! The only thing is, if you are looking for something that sells quickly you have to get in the stores right away or they will be gone and everything will be picked over. This year I've decided to start doing a different color scheme for each year. I found an article in a magazine that has some great ideas so I will take that with me to the stores to try and find as many things as possible. Every year I will just build on that!
Oh, and I not only do this for Christmas, but all the holidays!
I love to buy clothes after Christmas. There is so much winter left to wear them and the deals are so good. I also like name brand candles in the Christmas scents, which are often half price. These are small enough to store and use the next year or fun to use right away. I tend to buy my candy one holiday ahead. I might make Christmas cookies out of halloween M&M's. Valentine's day is easy because you can get red candy after Christmas, again for half price.
Like Teresa @5, I always purchase holiday greeting cards for next year. Very good, high quality design cards which I would not buy otherwise (too pricey) are 50 to 75% marked down after the season.
If I'm low on wrapping paper or bows, I'll pick some up. But I always pick up an ornament or two for my son. Growing up, my Granny would always give the grandkids a new ornament each year for Christmas. She'd mark our name and the year on the bottom/back. When we moved out of the house, each of us had enough ornaments (along with those given to us by aunts and our mom) to decorate our own trees. So during the clearance sales, I'll let my son choose which he'd like. We mark it like Granny did and pack it up for next year. It's pretty cool watching him decorate the tree with his own ornaments each year.
I don't zoom in on the paper, cards, etc. anymore; however, I do look for clothing for me and my family for the remainder of the winter. the kids like electronics and gifts cards for Christmas, so after Christmas is a great, great time to buy practical items at the dept. stores for next to nothing. Everyone needs pants, undies, shirts, sweaters...so I stack my coupons and go out about 2 days after the rush and see what I can find. I always end up with about 75 percent off of retail and, while the items are picked over, I find what I need.
I look for gifts that I can give during the following year. I get a big coffee, bundle up, and go wandering in the stores. I always find great stuff for 75% or more off. I also pick up cards and wrapping paper too!
Instead of using SnagIt, I started using Green Shot and it is very powerful. Much easier to use than SnagIt. It is open source software. If you find it useful, donate a bit of cash. Say $15, 20, 25, depending on how much you use it and how useful you find the software.
My yearly splurge takes place after Christmas. I love chocolate, specifically Godiva, but at $36+ a pound it is not something I usually get...until the after Christmas sales. A lot of boxes have Christmas decorations on them or paper for the holidays and after Christmas these items are usually marked down 50% or more. It still costs more than a Hershey's bar, but that's my yearly after holiday purchase and one that I savor.
Also, I usually pick up cards & wrapping paper when it hits 75% off or more.
back when i was a poor college student a friend and i went to the after christmas sale and was able to talk the dept manager into selling us all the spray snow he had at a $1.50 a case. he had about 20 cases. then in june we put one of our profs cars in a "snowbank"
Last year I bought a serving platter from a dept store that was priced at $60 or $80 but marked down to $10 and then there was an additional 15% off that. It also had a sticker on the front for a $10 Amex gift card rebate. I ended up making money on the platter, score!
I wait until the first Sunday in January (when a lot of people are busy watching football on TV!) and stock up on holiday- themed tins to for the coming year's cookie and candy giveaways.
I love to check out the clearance! I usually end up @ Target and buy wrapping paper, boxes and Christmas cards. Maybe a decoration/ornament or 2! I have also been buying the clearance Christmas shirts for my daughter big enough for the next year...so far it has worked out great the past 2 years :)
HAPPY HOLIDAYS everyone!
I wait it out....and then tend to stumble on the 90% off stuff. My husband needled me to buy more wrapping paper last year....we now have enough for the next 3 decades! UGH!
This year however, I must admit, I will be on the lookout for one of those cheesy Santa hats....and possibly an antler headband. LOL. I might even add bells! LOL!!!
I enjoy the rush of the post-Christmas sales, especially buying for next year's Christmas. Last year I bought cards at ridiculous prices. I won't be able to do that this year because paying next month's rent is a stretch.
My best deal is at target when they have holiday packaged plain white dishclothes and bar mop towels for 75% off or more, as well as anything that is holiday wrapped or colored but the item is useful far past the season, such as silicon muffin or brownie pans. Also, I decorate my house for Halloween, not Xmas, so the deals on outdoor extension cords are great too!
I think Christmas is a commercial celebration... I do not buy things because of its season... However, I do appreciatte the offers, and sometimes I take them... Most of the time in shops that sell soaps and those kind of articles, which can be used all year round...
Just about every year, I have nieces and nephews to shop for that I sometimes don't get to see on Christmas, but are here locally. Rahter than mailing their gifts, this is my devious little plan.
I wait till after Christmas, then immediately go shopping for that year's "must have" thing. Obviously, this year it would be the Zhu Zhu pet.
Pick those up, make the trek to see them all sometime after Christmas, make them the happiest kids on Earth cuz they got the latest toy, and saved myself a bundle.
Tickle Me Elmo was the example from a year previous.
I ALWAYS shop after Christmas to find the best deals for the next year. This is how I've decorated my tree for years! There's a little craft shop in my hometown that has not so little prices, so I always wait until after Christmas. She always has tons of ornaments left all marked down by at least 50%! Nothing burns me up more than paying full price and then going back to find the item marked down. And it is the absolute best time of the year to get lights and cards! The only thing is, if you are looking for something that sells quickly you have to get in the stores right away or they will be gone and everything will be picked over. This year I've decided to start doing a different color scheme for each year. I found an article in a magazine that has some great ideas so I will take that with me to the stores to try and find as many things as possible. Every year I will just build on that!
Oh, and I not only do this for Christmas, but all the holidays!
Other than Christmas wrapping paper, I also buy my husband's birthday present then, since his birthday is in January.
I love to buy clothes after Christmas. There is so much winter left to wear them and the deals are so good. I also like name brand candles in the Christmas scents, which are often half price. These are small enough to store and use the next year or fun to use right away. I tend to buy my candy one holiday ahead. I might make Christmas cookies out of halloween M&M's. Valentine's day is easy because you can get red candy after Christmas, again for half price.
Used to hit the after holiday sales to stock up on wrapping paper and cards, but now I just try to enjoy the end of the craziness!
Like Teresa @5, I always purchase holiday greeting cards for next year. Very good, high quality design cards which I would not buy otherwise (too pricey) are 50 to 75% marked down after the season.
If I'm low on wrapping paper or bows, I'll pick some up. But I always pick up an ornament or two for my son. Growing up, my Granny would always give the grandkids a new ornament each year for Christmas. She'd mark our name and the year on the bottom/back. When we moved out of the house, each of us had enough ornaments (along with those given to us by aunts and our mom) to decorate our own trees. So during the clearance sales, I'll let my son choose which he'd like. We mark it like Granny did and pack it up for next year. It's pretty cool watching him decorate the tree with his own ornaments each year.
I don't zoom in on the paper, cards, etc. anymore; however, I do look for clothing for me and my family for the remainder of the winter. the kids like electronics and gifts cards for Christmas, so after Christmas is a great, great time to buy practical items at the dept. stores for next to nothing. Everyone needs pants, undies, shirts, sweaters...so I stack my coupons and go out about 2 days after the rush and see what I can find. I always end up with about 75 percent off of retail and, while the items are picked over, I find what I need.
I look for gifts that I can give during the following year. I get a big coffee, bundle up, and go wandering in the stores. I always find great stuff for 75% or more off. I also pick up cards and wrapping paper too!
I always stock up on wrapping paper post-holiday, especially if it's just solid green or another pattern that can be used throughout the year.
I buy Christmas paper, cards, and any special ornaments that I like. Too bad Christmas stamps don't go on sale...
Instead of using SnagIt, I started using Green Shot and it is very powerful. Much easier to use than SnagIt. It is open source software. If you find it useful, donate a bit of cash. Say $15, 20, 25, depending on how much you use it and how useful you find the software.
Every year we buy a new Christmas ornament to remember that year, but we buy during the after Christmas sales and save at least half price.
My yearly splurge takes place after Christmas. I love chocolate, specifically Godiva, but at $36+ a pound it is not something I usually get...until the after Christmas sales. A lot of boxes have Christmas decorations on them or paper for the holidays and after Christmas these items are usually marked down 50% or more. It still costs more than a Hershey's bar, but that's my yearly after holiday purchase and one that I savor.
Also, I usually pick up cards & wrapping paper when it hits 75% off or more.
back when i was a poor college student a friend and i went to the after christmas sale and was able to talk the dept manager into selling us all the spray snow he had at a $1.50 a case. he had about 20 cases. then in june we put one of our profs cars in a "snowbank"
Last year I bought a serving platter from a dept store that was priced at $60 or $80 but marked down to $10 and then there was an additional 15% off that. It also had a sticker on the front for a $10 Amex gift card rebate. I ended up making money on the platter, score!
I wait until the first Sunday in January (when a lot of people are busy watching football on TV!) and stock up on holiday- themed tins to for the coming year's cookie and candy giveaways.
I love to check out the clearance! I usually end up @ Target and buy wrapping paper, boxes and Christmas cards. Maybe a decoration/ornament or 2! I have also been buying the clearance Christmas shirts for my daughter big enough for the next year...so far it has worked out great the past 2 years :)
HAPPY HOLIDAYS everyone!
Thanks for sharing!! hope everybody looks and gives it the credit that I did!
I usually don't go - by the end of the season I'm so sick of shopping, I just can't do it anymore!
I wait it out....and then tend to stumble on the 90% off stuff. My husband needled me to buy more wrapping paper last year....we now have enough for the next 3 decades! UGH!
This year however, I must admit, I will be on the lookout for one of those cheesy Santa hats....and possibly an antler headband. LOL. I might even add bells! LOL!!!
I'm looking forward to hitting Target on New Years' Eve sporting a gift card and expiring coupons to maximize those sales!
I enjoy the rush of the post-Christmas sales, especially buying for next year's Christmas. Last year I bought cards at ridiculous prices. I won't be able to do that this year because paying next month's rent is a stretch.
My best deal is at target when they have holiday packaged plain white dishclothes and bar mop towels for 75% off or more, as well as anything that is holiday wrapped or colored but the item is useful far past the season, such as silicon muffin or brownie pans. Also, I decorate my house for Halloween, not Xmas, so the deals on outdoor extension cords are great too!