A cross section of Nigerians in Abuja have lamented the soaring cost of Christmas decorations as the festive season approaches, saying the items have become unaffordable for the average income earner.
Some traders in the Federal Capital Territory said the high prices have slowed sales this year, particularly for traditionally popular items such as Christmas trees and hampers.
Mrs Chinaza Okafor, a businesswoman, said the sale of Christmas decorations had been sluggish, noting that Christmas trees, usually in high demand, were being avoided by many buyers.
“A right-feet Christmas tree now costs ₦90,000, compared to ₦40,000 in 2024,” she said.
According to her, many customers are opting for alternatives such as tortoise-leaf potted plants, which cost about ₦75,000.
Okafor described the decline in sales as saddening, saying the festive excitement associated with decorations was gradually fading due to rising costs.
At the Wuse market, a hamper seller, Mr Sule Abdulkareem, said the high prices of condiments such as corn flakes, custard and beverages had significantly increased the cost of hampers.
“Our hampers range from ₦50,000 for the cheapest to ₦250,000 for the most expensive ones,” he said.
He added that profit margins had reduced, although some sales were still being recorded as people bought hampers for their families.
Another decoration seller, Mr Yusuf Mohammed, said he anticipated a drop in demand for Christmas decorations this year due to skyrocketing prices.
“Big Christmas hats sell for ₦3,000, while the smaller ones go for ₦1,500. Christmas lights cost ₦4,000, and shiny decorations sell for ₦1,000 each,” he said.
Meanwhile, some customers said they were cutting back on festive spending.
Mrs Bose Ayodele said she visited the market to buy Christmas caps for her children’s end-of-year party but was discouraged by the prices.
“With the current prices, I think I will just make them use the old ones,” she said.
Another customer, Mr Peter Nnaemeka, who came to purchase hampers for his colleagues, described the situation as worrisome.
“A hamper that cost ₦18,000 last year now costs about ₦50,000 this year. Everything has skyrocketed,” he said.