Christmas 2005: Bargains Galore!

This year, Christmas was especially difficult for a number of reasons. The economy was in the pits, people had to tighten their belts. That said, bargains were everywhere when it came to gifts, decorations and holiday treats. I sorted through these deals and found some real winners for the kids on your list:

The Cat in the Hat: $29.49 from Target! Add to that Amazon Prime members get 20% off this toy!

Amy Grant CD: $5 from Target! Also add 50 cents each with your Target Red Card to get free shipping on all orders over $25.

Crayola Colour Alive: $11.59 at Toys R Us.

Ernie Presents: A Sesame Street Christmas DVD: $3.55 at Best Buy! That's right, a holiday DVD for only four bucks and change!

This year, Target had the best deals on decorations, including a three-foot tree for $34.99 or a 6-foot tree for $50. Both trees were available in red or green color schemes in addition to traditional mixed colors. I also found some other cool stuff for the house like a lava lamp toy that changed color on its own ($14.99) or a Charlie Brown Christmas Soundtrack CD ($4.16).

The only Target deals I came across for gifts were the various Disney DVD movies that are being put out in the morning. For example, Aladdin is $9.99, The Princess and the Frog is $19.99 and Kung Fu Panda is $14.99. The website brags that there are more than 300 Disney movie DVDs on sale for $10 each, but there were only 36 titles to pick from this morning. If your kid is a really big fan of one of these movies, it might be worth buying ahead of time so you don't have to worry about the crowds on Christmas.

Canadians, please refer to my recent article on shopping online from across the border or head north yourself! You should be able to identify the same deals that I've listed above, but note that they all may be in US dollars.  On top of that, the Canadian dollar is at par with its American counterpart so there won't be any currency exchange issues with Amazon.

While I'm on the subject of discounts, if you are a member of Amazon Prime, be sure to check out the daily deals section. It's updated every day and it's a great place to pick up some savings. I found this bargain for $3.99: 4 Bubble Bath Bombs from Bath & Body Works! That's 80 cents each on Amazon!

For those who love toys and craft supplies, here are some great deals from Toys R Us in addition to the usual doorbusters:

Monopoly Collector Edition Board Game: $19.99 from Playhouse Disney (80% off!) Includes a gameboard sticker sheet!

Sesame Street Reusable Handprint Painting Kit: $9.19 from Playhouse Disney (68% off!)

Kidz Bop Christmas CD: $5.99 from Best Buy (50% off!)

The Best of Sesame Street Award Collection DVD: $14.99 at Toys R Us (67% off!)

Bubble Bath Bomb Gift Set: $6.39 at Bath & Body Works (60% off!)

Crayola Model Magic Fun Pack: $5.99 at Toys R Us, plus it comes with a free cookie cutter set!

Crayola Model Magic Neon Gift Set: $6.39 from Toys R Us (67% off!)

Crayola Model Magic Scratch Art Set: $8.39 at Toys R Us (60% off!)

Crayola Model Magic Travel Pack: $4.99 from Toys R Us

Crayola My First Colors Card Set: $15.99 at Toys R Us

Elmo's World DVD: $6.96 from Target (50% off!)

Fisher Price Laugh and Learn Touch and Tell Talking Elmo Doll: $55.99 from Target (54% off!), plus get a free magnetic book!

Fisher Price Laugh and Learn Touch and Tell Talking Pointer Nose Count Busy Tot Clothespin Hippo Figure: $9.99 from Playhouse Disney (70% off!)

Fisher Price Laugh and Learn Touch and Tell Talking Pointer Nose Count Fire Engine Figure: $9.99 from Playhouse Disney (70% off!)

Fisher Price Laugh and Learn Touch and Tell Talking Pointer Nose Count Giraffe Figure: $9.99 at Toys R Us (60% off!)

Fisher Price Laugh and Learn Touch & Tell First Words Interactive Learning Case: $49.96 from Target (50% off!)

Fisher-Price Laugh and Learn Talking Chef: $14.99 from Target (60% off!)

Fisher-Price Laugh and Learn Talking Hippo: $9.99 at Toys R Us (60% off!)

Fisher-Price Laugh and Learn Talking Snail: $14.99 at Toys R Us (60% off!)

Lego Classic Space Starter Set: $12.19 from Walmart (80% off!), plus get a free book!

Lego Connect the Dots Activity Book: $7.24 from Amazon (80% off on Amazon)

Lego Duplo 4×4 Activity Center Play Set: $9.99 at Toys R Us (60% off!)

Lego Duplo Creative Bucket: $16.99 at Toys R Us (40% off!), plus get a free magnetic book!

Lego Duplo Farm Track Set: $9.99 at Target (60% off!)

Lego Duplo Large Creative Box: $16.59 from Amazon (75% off on Amazon)

Lego Duplo My First Blocks Building Set: $16.69 from Walmart (80% off), plus get a free magnetic book!

Lego Duplo Number Train Building Set: $14.97 from Toys R Us (60% off!)

LeapFrog Tag Reading System: $24.

Conclusion: Overall, this year's deals were not as good as last year's on a per item value, but there were lots of deals to be had nonetheless. I'm happy to have found some really cool and educational gifts for my nephews and nieces at reasonable prices. I hope you found something great for the children in your life!

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I hope the bargains I've identified are useful to you during this holiday season. If you follow any of these links to shop, please use coupon code XMAS10OFFXBLOGXMAS10OFFXBLOG at checkout to get an additional 10% off all orders.