The period between Thanksgiving and Christmas was a little shorter this year than usual, but that didn't stop people from getting out and getting their shopping done.
And now that the Christmas holiday is over, people are out spending that Christmas cash, looking for great deals.
Carrie's Hallmark said the shorter time period, six fewer days for shopping, wasn't cause for buying less inventory. Owner Carrie Carroll said people were out in full this season, shopping faster. "It was really busy ... I think people really realized they had less time," she said.
Each year Carrie's Hallmark has a big after-Christmas sale, and this year was no different. "People look for that, it's a tradition. We don't hold back."
The downtown store was full of sale-seeking shoppers starting Dec. 26, and will continue for a couple weeks before the store gears up for Valentine's Day. "It has been a great crowd," Carroll said.
Seneva and Molly Fowler were perusing the sale items at The Schaefer House on Saturday, looking for items they noticed before Christmas, but waited to purchase until the 50 percent off sale kicked in. The duo were hoping the items would still be there, just at a discounted price.
Molly was looking for items to use in her own home in 2014, as she prepares for her wedding in the upcoming months.
Seneva said she comes to The Schaefer House for any specialty items she's hoping for, but checks out the big box stores for more generic items like holiday lights.
Longtime Schaefer House employee Angie Davis said she thought it was "a great holiday season."
The shortened time for the Broadway store just meant getting the word out to customers; the store offered a "12 Days of Christmas" promotion as well as "Perfect Pick Friday."
A couple of cold and nasty Saturdays before Christmas put a little damper on the retail store, but the sales are running typical of other years.
Davis said the store stocked the same amount of merchandise and its after-Christmas inventory also proves this year was a success.
With sales in full force, the store has at least another week before wrapping up its busy holiday season.