The Red Menace is Spreading

Get Your Cheap Chinese Goods While Duping Your Kids

Santa Claus is coming to town at 2,966 Wal-Mart stores on Saturday, following a successful trial run last year. And true to Wal-Mart's discount heart, the photo with Santa is free -- compared with as much as $45 at some department stores.

Santa also plans to put in appearances at two other big holiday retailers. For the second year in a row, he'll be at Kmart Holding Corp.'s 1,500 stores on two days during the holiday season. And following a test at four stores last year, Santa will be in 84 Toys "R" Us stores every day for the first two weeks of December.