6 Must Buy Christmas Clearance Items (Not Just The Lights)

Check out my list of 6 Must Buy Christmas Clearance Items. Not just for decoration! Thrifty (and creative) thinking during Christmas clearance sales helps you save on celebrations throughout the year.

Sure you know that buying after season Christmas clearance items is a thrifty thing to do.  I’m sure your mind first goes to things like replacing strands of lights and getting a few new ornaments.  But decorations aren’t the only deals you should snag on those clearance shelves.  With a little creative (and thrifty) thinking, you can pick up items to use for months to come.

6 Must Buy Items on Christmas Clearance

1. Wrapping Paper – You can be sure that there is always wrapping paper and supplies in the Christmas clearance section and often makes it as low as 90% off! Sure it’s a good idea to pick up a roll of Santa or Christmas tree themed paper to have for next year.  Now you will have one less thing to have to remember while you are Christmas gift shopping next year. But beyond that, I love hunting for more “generic” prints on the wrapping paper along with bows, tissue paper and bags.  I use this clearance wrapping paper for year-long gifting!  No one will know that the plain red wrapping (with an event appropriate bow to add some flair) was meant for under the Christmas Tree.

2. Food and Baking Items – Often times sugar cookie mixes, colored sugar and candy coating (aka- almond bark) find their way onto the Christmas Clearance shelves.  Again, try to look beyond the holiday marketed packaging and think ahead to your next celebration.  I always pick up a container of red colored sugar with those beautiful manager special stickers.  You can use this on Valentine’s Day goodies and even on Patriotic food.  It’s s a perfect topping for my Celebration Crunch Popcorn too. And don’t forget to look for coupons to use on top of the clearance price for even more savings!

3. Stocking Stuffer Toys and Candy– These items always seem to be left over in abundance. Little trinkets with popular characters on them, Hot Wheels Cars, lip balm and lotion, and balls can be perfect to use as Birthday goodie bag items or even for filling in the Easter Basket (obviously not the Santa/Snow themed items).  And if you really think ahead, these little toy items are perfect for next year’s Operation Christmas Child Shoebox too. Also that  Clearance Christmas candy can be used for future holiday’s.  Look how perfect the colors line up with the next two holidays on the calendar-Valentine’s Day and St. Patty’s Day! Be on the lookout for the mini candy canes to make sweet Candy Cane lollipops for Valentine’s day too.

4. Christmas Decorations –  So I had to mention these too, for obvious reasons.  Now that Christmas Day has come and gone, it’s time to replace those broken/outdated items. Also, now that you’ve seen all those Pinterest ideas, you know what items you want to (make) add to your decor for next year.  Instead of paying full price in November next year, buy them now.  Nice thing is you can pack them right up when you put things away this year, and you will get a little surprise next year. 😉 For instance, my fave new holiday decor item this year is my DIY Ornament Wreath.  I bought those ornaments for 60% off after the season last year.  It makes it that much more fab to know it was a thrifty piece too!

Hubs says if you can find this… Buy it!! #lifesaver #lightkeeperpro #christmas #clearance

A photo posted by Mary Hoover (@amissiontosave) on Dec 12, 2013 at 9:27am PST

5. Light Keeper Pro – This handy tool is one of those “why didn’t I create that” items.  When I first brought the Light Keeper Pro home, hubs thought it was going to be another flop.  Not so.  It is now his favorite tool at Christmas time.  Basically it helps you check strings of lights for burnt out bulbs (instead of just pitching the strand.)  Hubs wants me to keep an eye out for another one in after season clearance this year- just so he can have a backup.

6. Target Toy Clearance– Ok so technically this one is not really Christmas Clearance, but it’s a good time to start thinking about this popular end of season sale.  Generally mid to late January, Target clears out their toy department with 50%, 70% and even up to 90% off Toy clearance prices.  Once again, this is a perfect opportunity to stock up your “gift closet” (and for you extreme type-As, even buy gifts for next Christmas)

Now you know what to look for.  But when should you start stocking up on these items?  As a general rule of thumb, here is when you can expect Holiday (not just Christmas) discounts to drop:

• 2-3 days after holiday: 50% off
• 5-6 days after holiday: 70-75% off
• 8 days after holiday: 90% off (if anything is left)

This is really just a rule of thumb, you may even start to see some of those discounts starting the day before the holiday or even 30%-50% off  a week before the holiday hits.  So keep your eye out for those sale signs to go up!

So what items would you add to the “must buy” Christmas list?