January sales in December

So there's this so-called financial crisis, and all the stores are having sales now. Yep, in December. Right before Christmas. Supposedly, this will get people to buy more stuff to give as presents or whatever. Just what we all need. More stuff. Yippee...

I have never seen anything like this before, at least not here. Sales are for January, not December. I wonder what's going to happen in January, when it's time for me to hit some of these sales (I recently purged my closet of some winter clothes that are too worn out to wear to work, or use for anything else other than dusting rags for that matter, so I need a few things, unfortunately). Will the clothes I would have bought been already sold out? I really don't have the time, or the desire, to shop now... sheeeesh...