‘Made-in-China’ tags on Christmas items flood Sadar bazar

If you are all set to celebrate Christmas and planning to gift exquisitely colourful statues of Jesus and Mary to your friends, without even pilfering your pocket, choose from a wide range of cheap lanterns, stars, bells, trees and Santas available in the Capital, all wearing the ‘Made-in-China’ label.

Christmas this year seems to be a ‘Made-in-China’ business thanks to the Chinese paraphernalia flooding Delhi’s bustling Sadar Bazar. Shopkeepers in the market confirm the fact that over 90 per cent of the items brimming the shop shelves in the city this year are from China.

“A sizeable amount of the decorative items are coming from China while only a few are from other countries. There’s a great demand for these items, which include bells, stars, trees and other glittering decoration items because of the low price and the variety they offer,” said Senthil Kumar, a shopkeeper.

 “All of this comes from China,” says shopkeeper Shameem Ahmed, as he points out the artificial Christmas trees he is selling.

“This year the prices of the decoration material range from Rs 50 to Rs 500 for a small bell to expensive items such as big Christmas trees and red and golden statuettes of Jesus and Mary,” informed Ahmed.

Christmas trees ranging from a height of 10 inches to three feet could cost between Rs 30 to Rs 500. “The best thing about the Chinese products is that there is an item for everybody, be it poor, middle-class, or the elite,” added another shop owner in the market.

“I bought a ready-made crib for Rs 500 as I had no time this year to make one,” says Marly Odayo, an IT professional. Odayo added: “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.”

Shops begin stocking decorative items from the last week of November and owners say that sales stay brisk through December with momentum picking up between December 21 and 22. While some customers are getting their shopping done early, others will wait till the last minute.