Christmas time is here and with its indicators. Lights are strung up on places of business; trees with beautifully wrapped packages albeit empty and just for décor are put up inside most banking halls; the radio stations have started playing Christmas songs and in the markets you see baskets filled with all sort of goodies, Christmas hampers!
For most people Christmas hampers are the highlight of the season. Everyone, both young and old, look forward to seeing how ‘rich’ the hampers will be every year. Even those who may not receive hampers still discuss how big the ones they see in certain supermarkets are and how they don’t compare to that of last years.
For every household that is sure to get a hamper or two, the occupants are giddy as well. Usually in hampers there will always be something for everyone. It is, indeed, a Christmas tradition that stands out and makes all look forward to the season.
However, with the country just coming out of economic strangulation otherwise known as recession, many are bound to wonder the effect the situation will have on the spirit of giving this season.
A survey of the market shows that some of the materials that form the whole in a hamper have shot up in prices. For instances, a particular brand of assorted imported biscuits registered over N300 increase.
Prices of decorations for Christmas in some markets appear to be stable because, findings show that the sellers are still selling from their old stock.
Visits to some major markets show the availability of hampers in different categories. They range from the small, the average and to the big ones.
The prices vary, depending on what they contain. There are hampers of as low as N5,000.00 and some as high as N40,000.00.
The reality is that there is low sale, going by the accounts of some of the sellers.
At Apongbon area of Broads Street on Lagos Island, a place noted as the headquarters of hampers, the sellers complain of low sale.
The sellers of the baskets used for the hampers are also singing the same tune. As far as they are concerned, the poor economic situation is biting hard and nobody appears to be ready to give out hampers.
The baskets are not moving at all, said a trader, Amope Shukura.
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“I’m still waiting for customers,” she told our correspondent.
“They won’t do hampers this year, it appears! This time last year we had got more orders. This year no order has come,” said a trader who simply identified himself as Mr. John.
Alhaja Mama Adepoju who also sells hampers, however, expressed optimism. She said although the sale had not started coming, she believed that with time things would get better.
Her words: “It’s not moving now compared to last year’s. This time last year people had come to take down prices to prepare and come back; that hasn’t happened so far. But I am not worried because when the rush starts even in a week or two we usually clear our stock.”
Mrs. Yetunde Alade who sells already prepared hampers on Awolowo Way, Ikeja, Lagos said: “There is no market! Last year this time we had sold all we had. But this year, you can see. We still have products not yet bought. There is not much money in circulation and the cost of materials are higher. The hampers I sold for N35,000 last year now go for between N38,000 and N40,000.”
She added that hampers that are as low as N5,000; N10,000 have also not enjoyed patronage.
The Next Edition also spoke to one Mrs. Kehinde Ajibade who trades in decoration materials for Christmas and it is the same song of low patronage.
Kudirat Onikoyi and Arinola Balogun who trade in Christmas decorations on Awolowo Way, Ikeja, also complained of low patronage even though, according to them, the prices have not been too high as compared with what obtained last year.
“There is no market. I have not sold like last year,” said Balogun.
The reason why there has been low patronage appears to be given by some who were in the market to shop. As far as many of them were concerned, the financial ability had dwindled hence the low patronage.
“I’m not here for any Christmas shopping. I have not started that. I don’t know when I will start,” declared one Mrs. Tola.
Miss Chioma said: “Personally I won’t be giving gifts.”
She explained that she was only in the market to pick some things for her boss in the office.
“I think my boss wants to arrange hampers for some of our clients and he asked for the prices,” she said.
A few members of the public had their thoughts on the Christmas season.
“This year’s Christmas, the prospects are not high at all. The options this year will be to just chill in the house alone or go to already organised parties. There will be no sitting out to drink and chill this year. Generally, I feel it’s the same thing going on all round,” said Daniel Folorunsho, who commented on the poor celebration mood occasioned by the financial state.
Without doubt, at least, going by the reactions of the traders and buyers, hampers and other Christmas gifts may come in late this year for many. Also, they may not come as ‘rich’ as they used to be, no thanks to the poor economic state of the country.
