Heavy foot traffic hits local malls the day after Christmas

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (PIX11) -- If the shoe fits, wear it, but if it doesn't, you bring it back.

For many, it's a formality of the holiday season, returning those gifts on Dec. 26, in hopes of getting it right this time around.

"Everyone comes after Christmas to return all their things," said Kainen Celi of Newark, returning a pair of boots at the UGG store inside American Dream.

For others, like Tasha McCutchen of Union, it's a day off with the girls to do a little more holiday shopping.

"I'm just with the teenagers shopping. I'm just here with them so they can shop," said McCutchen. 

For retailers at American Dream, it's a day of duality seeing the returned items pile up, but also watching the money pile up from gift card spending.  

"I got gift cards for Christmas," said Alayshia McCutchen. "I'm using them for stores like Sephora, Ulta, and then clothing stores like American Eagle."

"I got Pink, Ulta," said Addyson Green. "I have Target and I have a lot of Starbucks cards."

With many families off for the week and students back from college, the day after Christmas isn't just a busy day at the mall. It's one of the heaviest foot traffic days of the year, right up there with Black Friday.

"They have a lot of gift cards for Pink, Like, lululemon, all the kids are crazy about that," said Tonei James, visiting from Indiana with her children, Armani and Addyson Green. 

Between shopping and visits to the Rockefeller tree, they're seeing for the first time how New York and New Jersey do the holiday season.

"Whatever we find, we're going to buy," said James. "A lot of stores you have here, we don't have at home."

Whatever they take home, being in the moment together is something you wouldn't exchange for anything.