10 things you should always wait to buy until after the holidays

10 things you should always wait to buy until after the holidays

Holiday sales can make it feel like you're getting the best deal-but in a lot of cases, waiting until after the season ends actually saves you more. Stores are eager to clear out seasonal stock and overordered items once the rush is over, which means deep markdowns for patient shoppers. 

If you can hold off a few extra weeks, these are the things that typically drop in price fast and hard right after the holidays.

Holiday Decorations

The day after Christmas, stores slash prices on all things holiday-related. Ornaments, lights, wrapping paper, and even artificial trees can drop by 50% to 90% in the days following.

Buying next year's decorations after this year's season is one of the easiest ways to save. Just store them in a tote and pull them out when it's time. You'll spend a lot less than if you bought the same exact items in November.

Gift Wrap and Bags

Wrapping paper, gift bags, tissue paper, tags, and ribbon are practically given away after Christmas. Most stores want it off the shelves fast to make room for New Year's stock and clearance pricing reflects that.

Skip the holiday-themed prints and go for solids or patterns you can use year-round-especially gold, silver, or plain kraft paper. That way, you're stocked for birthdays and other occasions too, without paying full price later.

Winter Clothing

It sounds backwards, but the best time to buy coats, boots, scarves, and heavy sweaters is in January or February. That's when retailers start pushing spring lines and need the space, so prices drop even while it's still cold outside.

You'll find big markdowns on quality pieces that didn't sell during Christmas. If you've been eyeing something pricey, it's worth waiting until the post-holiday rush dies down to grab it for way less.

Fitness Equipment

Everyone wants to sell you weights and yoga mats before New Year's resolutions kick in-but prices actually get better right after that initial rush. Stores overstock fitness gear ahead of January, then start discounting when demand dips.

If you're building a home gym or picking up basic gear, wait a few weeks into the new year. That's when people return unused equipment or give up their resolutions, and stores start marking down leftover stock.

Holiday-Themed Food and Candy

Cookies, boxed chocolates, peppermint bark, and other seasonal snacks are heavily marked down after Christmas. These aren't expired-they're just tied to a holiday theme and retailers don't want to keep them on shelves.

If you've got a sweet tooth or need snacks for an upcoming party, this is a good time to grab them. Look for clearance bins in grocery and big-box stores. You'll find premium brands for a fraction of the original price.

Calendars and Planners

It doesn't matter that the new year is only a few days away-retailers start slashing prices on calendars and planners the second Christmas is over. Most people who wanted one already bought it, so stores need to clear them fast.

If you're flexible or just forgot to buy one, waiting until after the holidays can save you 50% or more. You'll still get nearly a full year's use, and you'll spend way less doing it.

Toys

Toys that were overstocked or didn't sell as expected usually go on clearance right after Christmas. Big-box stores want to reset shelves and start fresh, so they mark down remaining inventory fast.

This is a great time to stock up for birthdays throughout the year. Look for clearance aisles or online deals during the first two weeks of January-especially for branded toys or larger sets that didn't fly off the shelves.

Electronics Accessories

While the big-ticket electronics like TVs and game consoles get the hype before the holidays, the accessories-chargers, cables, controllers, cases-tend to drop in price once the season ends.

Retailers usually stock up expecting those big gifts to sell, and once they do, the accessories often get discounted to move. If you need backups or missed something during holiday shopping, you'll likely find better prices in early January.

Winter Home Goods

Think flannel sheets, space heaters, heated blankets, and cozy throws. After Christmas, these start going on sale as stores make room for spring items-even though you'll still need them for months.

This is the time to grab higher-quality winter essentials without paying full price. You'll find the best deals at department stores and home retailers trying to clear shelf space fast.

Holiday Scents and Seasonal Beauty Products

Candles, lotions, body washes, and gift sets tied to holiday packaging or scents drop significantly after the season. Once the gifting rush is over, stores want that stock gone.

If you like things like peppermint, pine, or warm vanilla, now's the time to stock up. You can also break up clearance beauty gift sets and use them as small gifts or stocking stuffers next year-for way less than you'd spend in December.

*This article was developed with AI-powered tools and has been carefully reviewed by our editors.