MEMPHIS, Tenn. — It's the day after Christmas and all throughout the Memphis area, shoppers dashed into stores to spend gift cards, make returns or exchanges on some items that were not quite just right. If you ventured into a mall or shopping center Thursday, you probably realized Dec. 26 is one of the busiest days for returns, and this year proved to be no exception here. "I've been thinking the way kids see their parents, and apparently, they think I'm a lot bigger than what I am. So, I'm returning for a better size and fit," Len Starnes said. The National Retail Federation says more than half of all shoppers plan to return or exchange unwanted gifts within the first month after Christmas. In fact, the National Retail Federation predicts that the return rate for the 2024 holidays will be 17% higher than the annual return rate, which right now stands at 17%.       How to safely dispose of your holiday trash without becoming a target "We expected some headaches and stuff," Patty Starnes said. "I was at Walmart at 8 a.m., and it was not bad at all. So, yeah, we're hoping for the same experience here as we do a few other last-minute things." Many retailers still accept returns for the month of January for all holiday purchases, with a 90-day deadline window from when the item was purchased. But every store has their own deadline, so you'll want to check with them individually. Still, these shoppers say it's the holidays and want to make things right. "It's the holidays, I'm just trying to make another person's day a little bit better and let her know I do value her and cherish her. That's all," shopper Vantorian Jenkins said. Regarding those gift cards that many people have, the National Retail Federation also expects Americans to spend $28.6 billion dollars on holiday gift cards.