Festive season accessories flood shops in Tiruchi ahead of Christmas

As Christmas draws closer, shoppers in Tiruchi are splashing out extravagant decorations and accessories for their festive displays this year.

Dealers of festival goods and religious artefacts on Allimal Street are seeing a steady stream of customers looking for things that add a special touch to their Christmas preparations. Among the most popular items is the ‘Christmas Star’ or ‘Star of Bethlehem’ that is hung up prominently in homes and offices celebrating the festival.

“This year, Christmas Stars are in great demand, as are models of the ‘kutil’ (crib) that are made with a wood finish. The crib prices start at ₹3,000 depending on the size and design,” said a shopkeeper on the street.

Many decorative items come with LED lights. A common sight is the golden reindeer made of perforated plastic material that glows at night with small lights.

The illuminated crib depcting the Nativity scene has been in great demand in shops on Allimal Street in Tiruchi.
| Photo Credit:
R. VENGADESH

At the Sebco Import and Export showroom in K.K. Nagar, crib sets are flying off the shelves this year. “Each crib set has between 12-14 figurines of the Nativity scene representing the birth of Jesus Christ. This year, we have just two sets left after re-stocking twice,” a store official told The Hindu.

The statuettes, made out of polymarble (containing crushed marble dust and polymer resins and binders), start from ₹6,500 per set.

Wreaths and small return gifts are also selling fast, said sales staff.

Christmas trees in all sizes are available both with and without lighting. “These can be dismantled and stored for the next year. Electrically wired trees cost upwards of ₹12,000 while the non-wired ones start at ₹3,000,” said a salesman at the store.

Sets of life-sized mannequins of Santa Claus preloaded with songs and moving parts are available for displaying in bigger areas.