With just a few days to Christmas, the mood at some decoration and gift stores in Ibadan on Thursday was far from encouraging.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that basic Christmas decorations have become luxuries, with sellers complaining of low patronage and buyers lamenting reduced purchasing power.

At Dugbe Market, Miss Grace Aletile, a seller, said she resorted to begging and using encouraging words to persuade people to buy at least one item.

“The prices make people turn away,” she said.

“Three or four years ago, I’d be too busy attending to customers to grant this interview,” she added.

Aletile said Christmas trees, usually in high demand, have been particularly shunned this season.

“Every year, Christmas trees and decorations are our best sellers. By now, we’d have lost count of sales.”

“This year, I can tell you the exact number of Christmas trees sold because people aren’t buying,” she explained.

“They’re not buying because the prices have doubled,” she said.

Aletile noted that a four-foot Christmas tree that cost N12,000 in 2023 now costs N25,000, while a six-foot tree that was N30,000 is now N70,000.

“A seven-foot tree was N40,000 in 2023, but now it’s N100,000,” she said.

Aletile said it’s sad to see her business, which started with greeting cards, struggling to survive.

“We started with greeting cards, and the shop was always filled with them,” she said.

“Declining card sales made us shift to decorations.”

“People no longer buy cards like they used to, which is why we only have one rack of greeting cards left,” she said.

“Corporate organizations and businesses now mostly buy cards for hampers,” she added.

Meanwhile, Mrs. Abosede Bassey, a seller of hampers, said patronage is down by 90 percent compared to 2023.

She explained that the high cost of hamper items has made them unaffordable for many.

“A hamper that cost N5,000 last year is now N8,000. The N8,000 hamper is now N12,000.”

“The baskets we use are also expensive now,” she said.

“Our profit margin has shrunk because all we make goes into purchasing the items,” Bassey added.

Mrs. Omolola Bakare, a customer, came to buy Christmas caps for her three children to wear at their church’s Christmas carol.

“I’ll use the decorations I’ve kept over the years to decorate the house,” she said.

“My children insisted I get them caps, and I’m shocked they now cost N4,000 each.”

“We need the government to address the exchange rate because these prices make you question your income,” Bakare said.

Miss Funke Ishola, who came to buy Christmas lights, described the situation as worrisome.

“The lights I bought for N1,800 last year now cost N3,500,” she said.

“But it wouldn’t feel like Christmas without some decorations,” Ishola added.

“The price of even the smallest decoration can make you reconsider.”

“Everything is too expensive, and basic items are starting to feel like luxuries,” she concluded.