JKKDARK
December 28th, 2007, 16:16
http://thefacts.com/story.lasso?ewcd=2685bc55369ea0b3
The crowds filling store aisles Wednesday were there as much to fulfill next year’s Christmas needs as make good on the gifts they received the day before..
Christmas decorations continued to be in high demand as people stocked up for Christmas 2008 or even for crafting projects they have.
The day after Christmas traditionally is one of the top 10 busiest shopping days of the year, grossing an average of 11 percent of annual holiday retail sales nationally, according to a list of the top holiday shopping days compiled by a Purdue University expert on retail sciences, Richard A. Feinberg.
This Christmas season proved to be no different as shoppers rose early the day after the holiday to take in the sales.
Lori Lowry from Churchill made wreaths as gifts for her loved ones and plans to make more next year.
“We made them for everyone this year,” she said. “They’re made out of little plastic sandwich bags and this next year I’m selling them.”
Her shopping basket held several reams of ribbon, random ornaments and different colors of tinsel for the festive wreaths she has imagined.
Though some are preparing for next year, others are just now gearing up to celebrate Christmas.
“We have six grown, married children,” Sweeny resident Lela Benge said. “We do our Christmas the Saturday after Christmas so they can all go to their in-laws and everybody’s not stressed thinking how they’re going to get to Grandma’s.”
Her family has a tradition called fill-a-stocking in which they each buy gifts for the 35 people in their family and fill up the stockings.
“I’m buying all this stuff that’s on sale for 50 percent off,” she said. “Even if you’re shopping for later in the year, it’s only like $4, so you can stick it in the closet for later and then you have a gift when you need it.”
Angleton resident Amy Spalding took her daughter to the mall to spend several gift cards she got for Christmas — and also was able to get in a little shopping for herself.
She bought some decorations for one of the four Christmas trees in her house and said the crowds Wednesday were smaller than she expected.
“We got out when it was raining and it was great,” Spalding said. “It didn’t bother us. The wind was blowing the umbrellas inside out, and the lines moved smoothly. Everyone was nice.”
Christina Pesina and her sister, Becky Ramos, both from Lake Jackson, were up with the sun to get their shopping done.
“We’re getting ready for next year, even though it’s just now over,” Ramos said. She and her sister bought wrapping paper, bows and lights for next year’s festivities.
They don’t set aside money before Christmas to shop the after-Christmas sales, and said they don’t need to.
“We really haven’t spent a lot of money because we hit the 50 percent off decorations and that was really our goal,” Ramos said. “When you get 50 percent off, you can do good.”
In addition to shopping, many people were out returning gifts they had received.
Diana Mulloy returned a Nintendo GameCube to Target after she and her daughter found out GameCube games were being discontinued.
“We returned the GameCube and bought a Nintendo Wii,” Mulloy said.
The next step for them is to try and figure out what type of games they want, “because it’s expensive.”
Good try Gamecube, but you are dead :p
The crowds filling store aisles Wednesday were there as much to fulfill next year’s Christmas needs as make good on the gifts they received the day before..
Christmas decorations continued to be in high demand as people stocked up for Christmas 2008 or even for crafting projects they have.
The day after Christmas traditionally is one of the top 10 busiest shopping days of the year, grossing an average of 11 percent of annual holiday retail sales nationally, according to a list of the top holiday shopping days compiled by a Purdue University expert on retail sciences, Richard A. Feinberg.
This Christmas season proved to be no different as shoppers rose early the day after the holiday to take in the sales.
Lori Lowry from Churchill made wreaths as gifts for her loved ones and plans to make more next year.
“We made them for everyone this year,” she said. “They’re made out of little plastic sandwich bags and this next year I’m selling them.”
Her shopping basket held several reams of ribbon, random ornaments and different colors of tinsel for the festive wreaths she has imagined.
Though some are preparing for next year, others are just now gearing up to celebrate Christmas.
“We have six grown, married children,” Sweeny resident Lela Benge said. “We do our Christmas the Saturday after Christmas so they can all go to their in-laws and everybody’s not stressed thinking how they’re going to get to Grandma’s.”
Her family has a tradition called fill-a-stocking in which they each buy gifts for the 35 people in their family and fill up the stockings.
“I’m buying all this stuff that’s on sale for 50 percent off,” she said. “Even if you’re shopping for later in the year, it’s only like $4, so you can stick it in the closet for later and then you have a gift when you need it.”
Angleton resident Amy Spalding took her daughter to the mall to spend several gift cards she got for Christmas — and also was able to get in a little shopping for herself.
She bought some decorations for one of the four Christmas trees in her house and said the crowds Wednesday were smaller than she expected.
“We got out when it was raining and it was great,” Spalding said. “It didn’t bother us. The wind was blowing the umbrellas inside out, and the lines moved smoothly. Everyone was nice.”
Christina Pesina and her sister, Becky Ramos, both from Lake Jackson, were up with the sun to get their shopping done.
“We’re getting ready for next year, even though it’s just now over,” Ramos said. She and her sister bought wrapping paper, bows and lights for next year’s festivities.
They don’t set aside money before Christmas to shop the after-Christmas sales, and said they don’t need to.
“We really haven’t spent a lot of money because we hit the 50 percent off decorations and that was really our goal,” Ramos said. “When you get 50 percent off, you can do good.”
In addition to shopping, many people were out returning gifts they had received.
Diana Mulloy returned a Nintendo GameCube to Target after she and her daughter found out GameCube games were being discontinued.
“We returned the GameCube and bought a Nintendo Wii,” Mulloy said.
The next step for them is to try and figure out what type of games they want, “because it’s expensive.”
Good try Gamecube, but you are dead :p