Christmas Supplement: X-Mas Decorations in Shanghai

Are you in the festive spirit? We sure are! Being away from home doesn’t mean you have to skip out on Christmas and all the trimmings. Shanghai is chock-full of places to pick up those yuletide classics.

Yuyuan Bazaar

Brush up on your bargaining before venturing to Yu Gardens – this is a great place to get items on the cheap. They have everything from tinsel, ribbon, fake snow, lights, faux pine trees to wooden carved reindeer and dancing Santas.

137 Anren Jie, near Fuyou Lu

Ikea

Stock up on fake trees (RMB 450), wrapping paper and decorations, as well as the containers in which to store them year-round. It’s best to do your holiday shopping early because items fly off the shelves quickly.

126 Caoxi Lu, near Sanhui Lu. Web: www.ikea.com

Carrefour

The French big box store has been catering to expat needs in Shanghai for years, and Christmas is no different. Fake trees here start at RMB 100, and ornaments, wreaths and lights are all reasonably priced. The Gubei branch has the most goodies for one-stop shopping.

Multiple locations around town. Gubei Carrefour. 268 Shuicheng Nan Lu, near Yan’an Xi Lu

Party Stores

Holiday House is overflowing with Christmas knick-knacks, ornaments and decorations – and if you want to dress as Santa this year, they have costumes too

Their fake trees are reasonable at RMB 99 – 220. If Holiday House doesn’t have everything you are looking for, check out Ruby’s Party, which has two storeys of festive bits and bobs to sift through.and pieces.

Holiday House. 1188 Fanyu Lu, near Kaixuan Lu. Tel: 5119 1310

Ruby’s Party. 3333 Hongmei Lu, near Huaguang Lu. Tel:  6401 6323