Where to Find the Absolute Best Post-Christmas Sales

You've endured Black Friday, Cyber Monday, weeks of gift wrapping, hitting stores, and checking off lists. But just when you thought it was over, retailers across the country are offering post-Christmas, year-end, and clearance sales in hopes of luring shoppers back into stores.

Make way for the new Black Friday, the day after Christmas. For many retailers, the holiday shopping season is expected to be a bust, courtesy of the recession, overall economic uncertainty, and poor weather. So consumers can expect rock-bottom prices and promotions at several retailers, which plan to sell any overstock in stores, stockrooms, and warehouses, make way for spring inventory, and boost their bottom lines.

Here's where you can score some impressive post-holiday deals:

J.C. Penney announced it will open at 5:30 a.m. the day after Christmas—the earliest opening in the store's history—and offer 100 door-buster specials, including 50 to 60 percent off private-label clothing for men and women, as well as 75 percent off Christmas decorations. The general merchandiser is offering a free wake-up call so that shoppers don't miss the sale.

Target is offering clearance products and promotions of up to 75 percent off on select clothing, furniture, electronics, holiday décor, and more. Consumers can also save up to 50 to 70 percent on bath and bedding.

The savings and values at Toys "R" Us stores will stretch into the New Year. Some of the items that will be available from Dec. 26, 2008, through Jan. 3, 2009, include 75 percent off a 1.60 Scale X-Trek Pro 15' Race Track Set; 60 percent off certain table games; 50 percent off some Hannah Montana Dolls; and 20 percent off all iPod cases and headphones.

You can get a jump on your holiday decorating for next year. Home improvement retailer Home Depot will be offering 50 percent off of all holiday décor beginning December 26.

Barnes & Noble, the nation's largest book retailer, is offering thousands of books at 50 to 90 percent off for its "After Holiday Warehouse Clearance Sale." Discounts are also available on music, DVDs, toys, video games, journals, calendars, and albums.

Starting this Sunday, Wal-Mart, the largest retailer in the United States, will introduce additional savings, with new values on select electronic games, $60 savings on select HDTVs, and reduced prices on home and office needs.

KB Toys announced Monday that it will be closing its doors for good and has launched a liquidation sale at all 461 of its KB Toys, KB Toy Outlet, KB Toys Holiday, and KB Toy Works stores. Sales at KB Toys stores will begin at 40 percent off regular prices.

The bath products retailer Bath and Body Works is having an after-holiday sale of up to 50 percent off on products including body lotions, shower gels, hand creams, and fragrances.

Circuit City will see the holiday shopping season extend into January. The electronics retailer will be offering big discounts on televisions, digital cameras, home theater systems, computers, computer accessories, GPS, music, movies, and games, according to company spokesperson Jim Babb.

Kohl's is having a huge clearance of 60 to 80 percent off on men's, women's, and children's clothing.

Even luxury retailer Neiman Marcus will be offering steep discounts with its After Christmas Sale. Shoppers can find sales on women's, men's, and children's designer apparel, as well as designer shoes, handbags, and jewelry. Neiman Marcus will be offering an extra 40 percent off already-reduced prices.

One thing to think about if you decide to hit the stores after Christmas: Many shoppers will be returning merchandise or redeeming gift cards the first few days after Christmas. If you wait until the first full week of January, you 'll be able to choose from the merchandise that people have returned. You'll also avoid those punishing return lines. But you might miss out on the deepest discounts.