PUNE: With Christmas just two days away, markets selling Christmas decorations are booming right now. The streets of Bohri Ali, Raviwar Peth are overflowing with colourful Christmas decorations and shoppers. The trends in streamers and ornaments have not changed much. With snow being the latest trend, decorations revolving around snow are seen in a large number in the market. Artificial Christmas trees with fake snow have become a standard feature in every store.
Pokhraj Jaroli from Manuraj Trading Co said, “We have added snowman and snowflakes this year, as they are in great demand. People are more fascinated by pre-decorated snow-capped trees instead of the usual ones.”
Shweta Dhingre from Subway added, “We are regular visitors of Crown Papers and we have not found many changes in the fashion of decorations except for the snowflakes!”
Jaroli also informed that the four festive colours, namely red, green, white and golden are popular every season.
The excitement of festivities is among all communities and not just restricted to the Christian community. Qusai Kanchwala from Kings Paper and Stationery said, “Other communities are more into the celebrations than the Christians themselves.”
Mehboobali Shaikh from Crown Papers said, “The prices have been hiked this year due to the hike in petrol prices and other economic factors.”
On the other hand, Shoaib, a street vendor, said that the highest hikes in prices have been up to Rs 10-20.
Even after all the boom in the market, the shopkeepers remarked that the sale has been little less than what it was last year. “There have been fewer people in our shop this time than the previous years,” stated a shopkeeper requesting anonymity.
