What's Open On Christmas: Store Returns, Sales

It's Christmas Day and you have that last shopping itch but unfortunately most big stores are closed today.
No fears: a handful of retailers have unlocked their doors today and plenty of stores are hosting online-only sales Christmas Day trying to get shoppers -- maybe those unhappy with their gifts -- to spend a little more this holiday season.

First the bad news for shoppers who can't get enough: Wal-Mart, Target and Best Buy are all closed for the holiday. Many retailers opened their doors Thanksgiving Day, trying to cash-in on early holiday spending. Now, they have decided that the potential sales aren't worth the expense and have gone dark.

But not everybody has taken that approach.

Looking for that cup of java? Well, thankfully Starbucks is open today (coffee beans as a last-minute gift anybody?). Also, IHOP is open, filling folks' cravings for pancakes and eggs.

Movie theaters, pharmacy chains including Walgreens and some local restaurants are also open but many have limited holiday hours.

So while you wait to return that ugly sweater and dream of what to buy instead, we suggest you surf the Web.

While the pre-Christmas bargains were not being parceled out as aggressively as they were last season, when the economic downturn was approaching its low point, there's still plenty of marked down merchandise to be found, if you know where to look.

"As of last week, surveys showed the average shopper had only completed less than half of their shopping," said Kathy Grannis, spokeswoman for the Washington, D.C.-based National Retail Federation. "Combine that with bad weather in the Northeast this weekend, and you do get the sense that a real push is on to let people know about all of the great deals still to be had out there."