Shopping Bargains in Eastern Massachusetts: From Christmas Decor to Discounted Goods

With the cost of gasoline and home heat skyrocketing, you're probably looking for ways to take a bit of the sting out of your holiday shopping bills. While the Boston area is known for some fine shopping - Newbury Street, Chestnut Hill's "Atrium," and the New "Natick Collection" for examples - there are also some great off-price shopping bargains as well.

The Christmas Tree Shops.

Contrary to what you may think when you hear the name, the Christmas Tree Shops are open all year. What you can expect to find there is off price and overstock toys, gifts, and foodstuffs. Also available is furniture, garden tools, picture frames and other items that could come from a variety of places. The chain offers an interesting mix of these overstock items and products manufactured specifically for sale at their stores. Unlike many other off price stores, the Christmas Tree Shops generally offer consistent products across the chain and stores that are generally quite similar to each other.

Customers can usually find seasonally themed décor, with Christmas being one of the biggest draws.

The Christmas Tree Shops began on Cape Cod almost 40 years ago by Doreen and Charles Bilezikian and the chain was purchased in 2003 by Bed, Bath & Beyond. The original location was a complex of three stores, and thus "Shops" as opposed to "Shop." Since the acquisition by Bed, Bath & Beyond, the chain has expanded more rapidly and has recently opened a new store in the New England Patriots' Gillette Stadium shopping complex called "Patriot Place."

While the chain is primarily located in Massachusetts, they have locations in 9 other states from Maine to Delaware.

Ocean State Job Lot

The Ocean State Jot Lot stores are a little lower end than the Christmas Tree Shops, but offer deeper discounts on a wide range of goods. These products are typically discontinued sizes or items, some items are meant for sale outside the United States, and some product is strictly overstock or remainders.