The festive spirit of Christmas has visibly descended upon Lucknow, transforming its bustling markets into vibrant hubs of celebration. This season, the city's shopping districts are captivating residents with an array of eye-catching decorations, from musical Santa Claus figures to intricate nativity scene models, commonly known as manger scenes.
Markets Alive with Festive Cheer and Shopping Frenzy
Markets across the city are beautifully decked with strings of warm lights, colourful balloons, and shimmering decorative items displayed both inside and outside shops. Crowds of people, wrapped in bright woollens to ward off the winter chill, are thronging these markets to purchase ornaments and trinkets for their Christmas celebrations.
In the busy lanes of Aminabad market, the demand for traditional and musical items is particularly high. Anjana Joseph, shopping with her 8-year-old son, explained her purchase of a manger model. "I am planning to set up a special corner at home dedicated to narrating the Christmas story to my family," she said. "Along with other festive items, this model will be very helpful in creating the right atmosphere."
Another shopper, Riddhima Davidson, also at Aminabad, shared her reason for buying four musical Santas. "My children specifically asked for them," she said. "I plan to place one in each room of our house to spread the joy everywhere." Alongside these larger decorations, little girls were seen eagerly urging their parents to buy festive accessories like red reindeer headbands, Santa caps, and small purses printed with spruce trees.
Amelia Grace Lal, an excited 8-year-old holding a reindeer headband, said, "I will wear this with my red dress on Christmas day and show it to all my friends." The demand for Merry Christmas and Happy New Year stickers was also notably high among younger shoppers.
Trending Decor: Revolving Trees and Elaborate Ornaments
A noticeable trend this year, as observed in Bhootnath market, is the shift towards more dynamic and elaborate decorations. Shoppers are increasingly opting for revolving Christmas trees adorned with warm, twinkling lights instead of traditional static ones.
Shopkeeper Anand Kumar noted the change in consumer preference. "This season, people are looking for more than just a simple tree," he observed. "They want aesthetic value and a live experience. The decorated revolving models provide a captivating centrepiece for their homes."
Echoing this sentiment, customer Rohan Patrick stated, "I have purchased two of these revolving Christmas trees, one for each of my two daughters. I also picked up several other decorative items to make our celebration special."
Hazratganj: A One-Stop Shop for Festive Embellishments
Over at Hazratganj, the variety of available decorations is vast and colourful. Shoppers are browsing through and buying multi-colour balls, wreaths in golden, silver, and red hues, assorted gel candles, and ribbons in every colour. The selection also includes stars with stands, red velvet balls, miniature drums, cherries, apples, joysticks, shimmery strings, pine cones, and strings of multi-coloured maple leaves.
Tanya D'souza, shopping at a Hazratganj store, detailed her purchases for her family's Christmas tree. "I've found so many wonderful things here," she said. "My basket is filled with bells, balls, pine cones, small Santa figurines, ribbons, tiny gift models, and joysticks to hang on the branches. It's going to look magnificent."
The collective activity in these markets underscores a city enthusiastically embracing the festive season. The jingle of bells from musical decorations, the shimmer of stars and strings, and the joyful hustle of shoppers are combining to make the Christmas spirit highly visible and palpable throughout Lucknow.
