After Christmas Shoppers Find Big Deals and Many Have Gift Cards

Santa Barbara’s after Christmas shopping was nothing like the frenzy you see at bigger city malls with traffic jams and shoppers shoving their way into stores for discounted items.

Many shoppers, however were able to get the deals they were looking for.

Some went to multiple sites in Santa Barbara and Ventura on what is one of the busiest shopping days of the year.

Shopper Mara Hall was with a group of friends and said “We have our whole route, we go here, then we go to the outlets in Ventura. We make a whole day of it.”

Some were exchanging gifts, some were using gift cards and some were looking for big savings.

“I’m a teacher and I usually get gift cards. I usually get the right ones, and I use them for after Christmas shopping,” said teacher Pearl Stumpf.

There’s also a line of thinking that a more affordable holiday season starts on December 26th.

“This family (she heard of) gave one present apiece (one Christmas) then went the next day for all their presents. I said, ‘you know that’s not a bad idea,'” said Linda Firth while shopping with her grand daughter.