It's the most wonderful time of the year.

I'm a extra 50% off queen, a connoisseur of clearance racks, a rabid half price enthusiast. I enjoy after Christmas shopping almost as much as Christmas shopping itself. I love hunting down a bargain, especially if it is an additional 40% off the clearance price. This is the time of year when I purchase ornaments, wrapping paper, bows, Christmas lights and holiday shirts for next year. Next Christmas I'll open my storage boxes and surprise myself with everything I purchased and then put away this year.

The after Christmas sales are only matched by the January and September end of season sales. In January, jackets, sweaters and pants are drastically reduced despite the cold weather. Last year, on one of the coldest nights on record in LA, I walked into a Target and purchased leather gloves with Thinsulate for the clearance price of $2. Bikinis were full price. In September, I bought shorts off the clearance rack as temperatures soared. Jackets were full price. Who can explain such wonders.