Boxing day / After christmas sales

[Zayre88]

Is there such a thing as the Boxing Day in the U.S. ?  In Canada, December 26 is called Boxing Day.  In Canada, New Zealand, the UK, and parts of Australia, Boxing Day is primarily known as a shopping holiday. It is a time where stores have sales, often with deep discounts. For many retailers, Boxing Day has become the day of the year with the greatest revenue.

Usually, Boxing Day is very busy, stores are crowded, parking lots are full and it's the time to get a great after-Christmas bargain.  In some places stores have to open at 1:00 PM, others  will open early in the morning.  

Is it the same in the U.S. ? Or is Thanksgiving the busiest shopping day?

[gu4ever]

Originally posted by Zayre88
Is there such a thing as the Boxing Day in the U.S. ?  In Canada, December 26 is called Boxing Day.  In Canada, New Zealand, the UK, and parts of Australia, Boxing Day is primarily known as a shopping holiday. It is a time where stores have sales, often with deep discounts. For many retailers, Boxing Day has become the day of the year with the greatest revenue.

Usually, Boxing Day is very busy, stores are crowded, parking lots are full and it's the time to get a great after-Christmas bargain.  In some places stores have to open at 1:00 PM, others  will open early in the morning.  

Is it the same in the U.S. ? Or is Thanksgiving the busiest shopping day?

The Thanksgiving holiday is still a busy day with great early bird specials and values. The retail opening hour seems to being getting earlier each years but generally starts at 5am.
Working in retail for years, generally the day after Christmas is a day to exchange unwanted or wrong selected gifts, or people redeeming gift cards/certificates. The only specials most often seen after Christmas is holiday/winter clearance merchandise to make room for spring clothing, home decor and garden/lawn supplies.

[nims57]

Funny, do they celebrate Boxing Day in Quebec? I thought it was a British Commonwealth thing.

[Marc82]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boxing_Day

[Zayre88]

The part that is celebrated is mainly the shopping one.

It's the day to exchange unwanted or wrong selected gifts, and people redeeming gift cards and to grab seasonal merchandise at a discount.  Usually "boxing day" is very busy with parking lots full before the stores are opening and crowds waiting at the doors.  In recent years, Boxing Day slowly became Boxing week.

I never shopped in the U.S. after Christmas, I was wondering what to expect if I decide to go this holiday: big crowds? Good deals and on what? and store opening hours (later/sooner)?