It seems like we just got past the Christmas shopping rush, but another flock of customers flew into retail stores Monday.

Returns and exchanges for faulty toys or wrong-sized clothing were common motives to hit the stores again, but many people were out to prepare for next year. The focus here wasn’t necessarily on gifts, but decorations, lights, and other necessities that can survive a year in the attic or closet.“I’ll probably get wrapping paper, stock up for next year,” Jenn Cunfer said as she waited for customer service at Walmart, where the line was kept to a reasonable flow, all things considered. Cunfer did have a few returns on hand, mostly items that she already had — a barbecue set, an electric toothbrush, and some other odds and ends.According to the National Retail Federation, 48 percent of consumers were looking into taking advantage of the steep discounts offered in the post-holiday market. Comparatively, the federation predicted that about a third of Americans would return at least one gift.“It’s actually been pretty calm, not very busy,” Kmart customer service employee Laurie Meckes said, pointing out that the big draw was the post-Christmas sales.Deals like these were especially prevalent at big-box retailers like Kmart and Walmart, and customers were eager to take advantage of deals that amounted to 50 percent off or more.“We were looking for Christmas cards and lights, tree-toppers, anything Christmas, because it’s all marked 50 percent off. Now, we’ll come back in a week, and it’ll be marked 75,” Cindy Serfass said as she perused the clearance section at Kmart in Walnutport.While seasonal decorations are a focal point for sales, savvy shoppers can pick up some great gift ideas for the coming months. Serfass and her daughter Laura Gieske were able to find some great deals on marked-down perfume and toiletry sets.Of course, there were plenty of shoppers eager to turn in cash or gift cards that were burning holes in their pockets — though that demographic tended to skew a bit younger.“There aren’t that many returns,” said Blanda Prutzman, a Kmart employee in the toy section. “There’s a lot of kids with their parents, spending what they got for Christmas moneywise, buying things they didn’t get.”