Christmas is here. And every Christian family in the country prepares to make or install an attractive crib. The classic Christmas crib beautifully illustrates the story of the Nativity, depicting dramatically the scene of the birth of Jesus Christ. It is everywhere — from family homes to churches, malls, hospitals, hotels, and retirement homes to shop windows. Even on streets.

Just like last year, this year too, the market is flooded with Chinese Christmas paraphernalia. “The Chinese are masters when it comes to selling affordable and quality items for the last five years,” says Ivo D’Mello, the oldest dealer in Christmas paraphernalia in Pune.

“This year the Chinese have designed a variety of 5-21 pointed white stars used to decorate Christmas trees, costing between Rs 50 and Rs 300, a piece,” says D’Mello. Apparently, the white stars in different models and sizes are selling like hot cakes.

Christmas trees with a height of 10 inches to 20-ft could cost you anything from Rs 30 to Rs 75,000. “The best thing about the Chinese products is that there is an item for everybody, be it poor, middle-class, or the elite,” adds D’Mello. These trees can be used for many years, if packed properly in boxes.

“I bought a readymade crib for Rs 5,000 as I had no time this year to make one,” says Romilla Fernandes, an IT employee and a mother of two. It was a good bargain as she got a discount. D’Mello says the price of the ready-to-install cribs, copied from the Italian models, start from Rs 150 and going up to Rs 35,000. The statues sizes range between two and 36 inches, depending on the prices.

The other items moving fast from the shelves this season are colourful Christmas centrepieces with drums and self-inflated Santa Claus that pops out of the chimney and lights up (costing Rs 550-Rs 650, a piece). The Christmas bell centrepiece with Santa Claus could cost you Rs 250-Rs 650.

“This year’s special is an innovative Christmas magic snow tube containing white powder. When you put the powder in water, it expands 100 times and looks like real white snow, which can be used to decorate the crib or the house to create the right atmosphere for Christmas,” says D’Mello. These tubes cost between Rs 75 and Rs 100 each.

Yet another innovative Christmas item this year is the laser lights in variety of colours to light up the crib. They are available in small, medium and large sizes and cost between Rs 1,700 to Rs 5,000, depending on size.

Santa Claus hat, which became a rage a couple of years ago, are still in demand. They are available for Rs 10-Rs 150. “When they first hit the market, I was sitting outside my shop with sacks of caps till 12 in the night,” he smiles, affirming their popularity even today.

Even though Christmas is round the corner, business at the D’Mello shop has not yet picked up compared with last year. “Earlier, Christmas shopping used to begin in October/November but this year, it has yet to pick up,” says D’Mello. A couple of years ago, clubs and star hotels, which organised Christmas and New Year dance parties spend Rs 3 to Rs 4 lakh on Christmas decorations. “Today, they have become cost conscious,” he rues.

For Danish Mansuri, who runs a chain of “Party Shop” in Mumbai, Christmas decoration sales, however, have increased compared to last year. “This season our sales have jumped by 50 per cent and we hope to push our sales a few days before Christmas,” says Mansuri. He, too, says there has been no alternative to Chinese Christmas decoration products. “They are cheap, affordable and reusable,” says Mansuri. His shops sell over 95 per cent Christmas items with the made in China label. The 2-10 feet Christmas trees at his shops cost between Rs 80 and Rs 10,000.

While the cost of Christmas stars, toys, statues, flowers and other accessories range from Rs 20 each to Rs 300, bells which come in various sizes and decorations cost up to Rs 5,500.

“This season the electronic musical Christmas toys and air filled Santa Claus that come with a price tag of Rs 2,500 to Rs 7,000 have been selling fast,” says Mansuri.

michaelgonsalves@mydigitalfc.com