(FORTUNE Magazine) – Scantily clad men shakin' it in boxer shorts. Sailors in U.S.S. Target uniforms. Buff soap opera actors heating up local malls. Nope, it's not your imagination--over-the-top holiday promotions were everywhere this season. What with the bumpy economy, the looming Iraq conflict, and six fewer days between Thanksgiving and Christmas than last year, some analysts were forecasting the worst holiday shopping season since 1997. We won't know until early January whether the promotions and price cutting paid off, but one thing's for sure: The attempts to save the season were a sight to behold. --Jessica Sung

1. The Santa Clause Aspiring actor Rick Edwards beat out more than 100 other beefcakes to win the role of Hunky Santa. His mission: to draw shoppers to the upscale Beverly Center mall near Hollywood.

2. Scrooged! The proprietors of Santa Monica Place enlisted Scrooge to approach random mall shoppers at stores such as Eddie Bauer and Williams-Sonoma and pay for their items with gift certificates.

3. All Aboard Target launched a two-week amphibious invasion into lower Manhattan, docking a 220-foot floating store at Pier 62. Dozens of uniformed Target sailors were deployed--on Vespas and on foot--to lure shoppers to the ship.

4. Blue-Light District Kmart tried to shimmy up sales (and out of bankruptcy) by pushing Joe Boxers (and spokesmodel Vaughn Lowery) at a New York City in-store event. Joe Boxer has become one of the chain's three most valuable brands, generating sales of more than $200 million since its July Kmart launch.

5. Taken for a Ride At Banana Republic's San Francisco flagship store, shoppers who spent at least $100 earned a free lift in one of 18 SUVs to anywhere in the city. More than 1,000 shoppers per weekend have used the shuttle service since rides began Thanksgiving weekend.