Every year in Paris the first week after New Years is a mess. All of the stores cut back prices on whatever they were not able to sell. You can find the average item for about 50% off what it was before the Holiday season. Whereas before you could find a nice coat for the reasonable price of 500 euros, now its marked down to a mere 250! Budget shopping at its best! Ah Paris...
One of the teachers at my schools invited me out to join him in the madness. And madness it was. Stores were packed. People arguing over stuff. Haggard looking salespeople in every corner trying to keep up with the tides of people. I didn't buy anything and I don't ever want to do it again, but I'm glad I joined the population in celebrating consumerism.