Chinese Christmas trees take over city

KOLKATA: After Chinese lanterns this Diwali, it's the turn of Chinese Christmas trees to woo Kolkata this Yuletide. For a city long won over by Chinese imports, the latest cultural translation has carved out a niche in the city. "The Chinese Christmas trees have caught the city shoppers' fancy. Varying in size from 3 to 10 feet, and priced between Rs 400 and Rs 1,500, they are extremely popular among our non-Bengali clientele," said Abdullah, a veteran shop-owner at New Market.According to Tom Liu, whose family has been selling Christmas knick knacks in New Market for over a decade, said: "We are doing brisk business this year. Those with a keen aesthetic sense are going in for the Christmas trees instead of the cheaper artificial versions. When these trees first appeared in the market three years ago, there were few takers. Some bought the trees more out of curiosity. But now, demand exceeds supply. Chinese decorative pieces, like crystal balls, bells and mistletoe, too, have also caught the imagination of the Christmas shoppers. "The trinkets are elegant and yet fits the purse of most, priced as they are between Rs 50 and Rs 100. There is a great demand among my Marwari customers," said Sheikh Noruddin, a vendor on Free School Street. The goods are routed to the city via Hong Kong and Nepal. But what do the Christmas shoppers feel about the imports? "This year, I'm going to add a quaint Oriental flavour to my Christmas decorations. There is something really exotic about a Chinese Christmas tree. Probably our Christmas lunch will also include Cantonese chicken," gushed Nigel Hildreth, a young corporate executive. "They are real popular in China. My husband Sumanta is fascinated by them," said Priya Datta, who husband is top corporate executive in Shanghai. State IT secretary G D Gautama said: "My wife can't stop raving about them, but I think it's a passing fad. The craze will die down in a couple of years."