Skip those after-Christmas bargains

Tis two days after Christmas, and all through the stores, the aisles are filled with bargains galore.

This may be enough to lure some out to the mall this weekend, but I won’t be there.

It used to be fun going checking out the after-Christmas sales. Those were the days, when eager shoppers braved traffic, road rage and parking lot bottlenecks to get drastically reduced prices on wrapping paper, tree toppers, shoes and sweaters. But these days, you don’t have to wait – everything went on sale a month ago.

During a recent trip to Jo-Ann Fabric and Crafts in Bangor, all of the holiday decorations were already more than half off (note to bargain-seekers: If you’re tempted to turn left from the parking lot onto Stillwater on a Saturday afternoon, don’t do it). Just over a week after Thanksgiving, the Martha Stewart gift wrap, ornaments and decorations were already on sale at Kmart. Even specialty boutiques had sales on Christmas cards last week.

I get the whole mentality of buying full price for everyone else and then waiting till the sales to pick up stuff for yourself. If I had more willpower, I would’ve done the same. But the ridiculously low prices I encountered while shopping recently convinced me that I didn’t really need to wait. And besides, didn’t I deserve a gift?

I went to Old Navy two weeks ago to pick up a stocking stuffer for ShopGuy. I left with two Asian-inspired wrap shirts for ShopGirl. One cost $4.99. The other cost $9.99. Why would I come back after Christmas? To save a dollar? Ditto for Target in Portland, where a pair of $22.99 Mossimo shoes and a $9.99 bracelet by Swell distracted me from my original gift-hunting mission. I mean, how much more could these things go on sale to justify the crowds this weekend?

I stopped in Freeport and made a mistake of popping into Banana Republic, where almost everything cost less than $20. Add another 25 percent off to that, and you’ve got a solid reason to treat yourself early. Gap outlet had ribbed turtlenecks for under $20, dress pants for under $30, and men’s coats for under $50. Why wait? At Marden’s, the Spiegel shipment was 80 percent off already. Maybe this weekend they’ll just start giving it away.

If you’re going to look for deals this weekend, go to Borders or that little kiosk in the mall and pick up a 2004 calendar – you can’t go wrong. Clip your coupons, get out your boxing gloves, and head to Filene’s. But if I were you, I’d skip the whole headache and head to the smaller stores, such as Ampersand in Orono, which usually cuts its ornament and wrapping paper prices in half come Dec. 26. Or, I’d just start planning for next year.

Everything should start going on clearance by the day after Thanksgiving.

ShopGirl would love to hear from you! Send questions, comments or suggestions by e-mail to: kandresen@bangordailynews.net, by U.S. mail to: Kristen Andresen, P.O. Box 1329, Bangor, ME 04402-1329, or by fax to: 941-9476.