I buy most of my holiday gifts for giving after Christams. I prefer to do gift exchange on Epiphany rather than Christmas day. I learned when I was in Mexico for two months in Dec-Jan that this is the norm in some countries tradition.

It's also a good time to buy formal wear. There is still time to wear it for New Years Eve and a lot of companies are having their employee Xmas parties in January now these days.

It's also a good time to get candies and sweets. Who cares if it is in red and green wrappers. It tastes the same right?

Nothing. Any money saved isn't worth doing battle with the crowds for me.

Gloria

I'm with Gloria. I stay home, save money and relax. I then don't have to store things I will never miss for months or years.

"What do you buy the day after Christmas?"

Nothing... I stay home.
Around here nothing is left anyways.

We already have 30% off things... and those will soon go to 50%. Then they are gone until next Christmas.

I have enough wrapping paper for years... and I don't use paper plates for holiday parties.
By that time we have had enough of candies and sweets... no need to buy more.

I don't like crowds, either, but I've found I do well at little stores. The hospital gift shop and the gift shop at the gym I go to have lovely Xmas ornaments and decorations, and they're really marked down as they don't want to store them for next year. Our local Hallmark store discounts deeply too, although I beware of the dated ornaments if I'm to give them for gifts. I have friends and co-workers who give little gifts to one another, and it seems as though the ornaments are a perfect solution. We have a fancy-schmantzy glassware store that also discounts, but they've moved to the mall, and I probably won't be fighting those crowds. Sometimes, I can find lights, etc at the corner hardware store.

I go to a tiny card shop in my town and they have all the Hallmark stuff 50% off.

If I am forced to go to town for anything the day or two after Christmas, I'm sure it will be to buy dog food. I myself alone here can go a very long without bread, milk, eggs, etc, and still have lots of other good things to fix and eat.

When it comes down to being out of dogfood, and having to fix and feed them people food, I realize I can no longer put off going to town. As it is, I buy 50 LB at a time, but it seems to go fast, feeding 3 big outside dogs, who eat 'extra' at this time of year.

Other than that, I may pick up and stock up on anything the supermarket has on special that I buy and use anyway.

No extra stuff for me...trying to clear out 'stuff'.

Sue

I do absolutely nothing either. Years ago, I would rush out and get wrapping paper, bows, etc. But not anymore, since many stores discount them before Christmas. Plus, some of the leftover things aren't so nice. One other thing too, I never shop of Black Friday. It's just not worth it to me. I'd rather spend the extra money than fight the crowds.
I am aware some people can't afford some of the things and that's the reason they shop on BF to get the huge discounts.

I never go out after Christmas to shop but I did get a gift for myself yesterday that I saw 1/2 off at the supermarket of all places. It has boxes within boxes with inserts in each set that have dividers to hold small items. It will make perfect "jewelry" and keepsake boxes. And it was only $5.49.

I, too, am in the stay-at-home and clear-things-out crowd.

But my favorite day-after-Christmas bargain was three years ago, when I went with a friend to a thrift shop. All the Christmas stuff was half off the already bargain basement prices.

I got: a beautiful, as-new set of glass tumblers and old-fashoned glasses with a holly design; holiday votive candle holders; and a set of holiday placemats. I spent $3.50. I love every item -- I've used them every year since then.

Loveflowers--what & when is Black Friday? Thats a shopping day I have also missed.

I'm not sure what's up with this but I "bought" a few things at home improvement stores in the post Christmas sales this year. Some wrapping paper and bows at Menards and two Christmas stockings at Lowes. I paid happily as it was much less expensive than I thought it would be with the other purchases. Each time I got home and looked at the receipt and the purchases weren't listed. I guess I got them for 100% off? Each time the girl at the register scanned them.
I'm not sure whether to take the items back or not. :~( It was just weird.

Marge727, Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving, so called because merchants hope to end up in the black when they do their accounting. This is a shopping day, I avoid like the plague...much worse crowds and traffic than the days following Xmas. We had stores here open up at 12:01 am on that Friday. I have bought things the last couple days this year at our little gift shops and today, I'm heading for Steinmart with a 50% off coupon for "already marked clearance items". I shopped this sale last year and got many terrific gifts for very little money, some as much as 75% off. The reason I go there is that they have a location that's very "quick in-quick out". I am tempted to go to Macy's to see if my Christmas china has been further discounted, but I really don't need any more. However where dishes, glassware, etc. are concerned, I have a very hard time distinguishing b/w "need" and "want".

I buy quite a lot in the sales, but I pick out what I feel are the best items at the biggest discounts and I spend very little. I mostly look for items that will be inevitably useful, things like clothing and some household items as well as long lasting foods.

January is also a good time for ebay shopping. There are less buyers I find as people are shopped-out and many can't afford to buy more anyway. The average price which items reach at this time of year is lower from what I've seen.

Wrapping paper is another item I always buy for next year. The difference is significant, I bought three rolls for £0.98 in total, although each would have cost £2.99. I also pick up gift items on big sales. Non-festive ones will be useful as presents through the next year and everything left over will be great as a present next Christmas. It's quite nice when everyone else is running around at the last minute buying presents and I can simply pull out a box of excellent low priced gifts from the cupboard. I'm going to be smug for a moment ;) But, seriously, it is a sanity saver and a money saver. It also leaves me with a lot more time to enjoy Christmas and when those big sales come in January I'm not worn out with shopping and wanting to stay home instead.