Christmas gift wrap, bows, and decor can be costly in November and December, which is why the best time to stock up is during after-Christmas clearance sales.
At The Krazy Coupon Lady, we’ve been perfecting our Christmas clearance strategy for years (and keeping tracking of all the holiday clearance schedules), and CVS is one of the best places to find holiday deals to put away for next season. Since they have a little bit of everything, you can stock up on holiday essentials at even better prices than the CVS Black Friday deals.
CVS is usually open on Christmas, but markdowns are usually found a day or two later, and true clearance deals don’t happen until closer to New Year’s. We’re digging into all the details so you know when to shop, what to look for, and how much you can expect to save.
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CVS Christmas Clearance Schedule
We predict the following schedule for CVS Christmas clearance, but actual sale information varies from location to location.
Predicted CVS After-Christmas Sale Dates 2024 - 2025
Dec. 26: 50% off
Jan. 10: 75% off
Jan. 19: 90% off
CVS usually starts marking down their holiday merchandise the day after Christmas. In years past, they’ve started with a 40% or 50% discount on Dec. 26, and slowly worked up to a 90% discount by mid-January.
We’ve found a sweet spot between waiting for a better price and grabbing the items you want before they’re gone. For example, you’ll spend more by shopping on Dec. 26 or 27, but you can likely get all the supplies you need for next Christmas in one trip. If you wait until the first week of January, you could pay half as much per item, but the shelves will be pretty picked over, so you’ll go home with fewer things.
You can find some good clearance deals online at CVS.com, but we’ve historically had better luck shopping in stores. Not every item makes it to the website, and discounts can vary from store to store, so you might find more items at a lower price by heading to the store. Plus, you’ll have to spend $35 or more to get free shipping when shopping online.
KCL TIP: We recommend hitting the stores a day or two after New Year’s. On Jan. 2 - 3, you’ll find items marked 60% - 70% off, and there should still be plenty of inventory left.
Best Things to Buy During CVS Christmas Clearance
Christmas Cards
CVS typically has plenty of boxed greeting cards left after Christmas, so it’s a great time to stock up. Look for cards that don’t have the current year printed on them so you can send them out next season. (You can also frame holiday greeting cards for inexpensive holiday decor!)
Gift Wrap and Supplies
Like the Christmas cards, you can normally find holiday gift wrap, bows, and supplies for at least 50% off after the holidays. It's a great time to get high-quality wrapping paper and ribbons that will make your gifts look extra special next year.
Christmas Candy
The CVS shelves are typically well-stocked with chocolate Santas, red and green peppermints, and other seasonal candies. Usually, you can get a great deal on these, but since they’re perishable, be sure to only buy what you will eat before it expires. (I always look for candies I can bake with since it doesn’t matter what color the wrappings are.)
On Dec. 27, 2023, we found 12-packs of Brach's candy canes for as low as $2.50 (reg. $4.99), which were perfect to bake with.
Holiday Decor
When it comes to home decor, look for items you can reuse year after year. Items like Christmas lights, stockings, ornaments, candles, and wreaths are easy to save until the next holiday season — just watch out for items with the year printed on them.
Small Gifts
I like to keep a few holiday-scented candles on hand for holiday parties and last-minute gifts, and after-Christmas clearance sales are a great time to stock up. Avoid food items or edible gift baskets; stick to items that won’t go bad.
For example, in January 2024, we found Kinetic Sand for $1.50 (reg. $5.99), holiday candles for $2.99 (reg. $11.99), and Disney headphones for $7.50 (reg. $29.99). Some shoppers even spotted Barbie dolls, Lego sets, and Squishmallows for 75% off.
Tips for Shopping CVS Christmas Clearance
Scoring the best Christmas clearance deals ultimately depends on your store location and inventory, but there are a few methods to help you find the best savings.
1. Shop in-store for the best selection.
You can find many clearance items on CVS.com, but the stores usually have a larger selection. Since bigger cities also have several CVS locations, you can check multiple stores if you’re looking for something specific that isn’t online.
I recommend always using the red price scanners in the store to double-check the clearance prices of the items you’re considering. You can confirm that your math is right, and items will sometimes ring up at a lower price than what is marked. (Note that price-checking on your phone will only show you the online price, so opt for the in-store scanners instead.)
2. Use coupons or ExtraBucks to save even more on CVS clearance.
Typically, CVS coupons don’t work on sale items, but you can use your ExtraBucks Rewards to purchase sale and clearance items.
3. Call the store to ask if prices have been lowered.
If you’re waiting for the price to drop on something specific, it could be worth calling ahead to see if they’ve increased their discount since your last visit. You can also find out what day of the week your particular store does markdowns.
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