It is that time of the year when many from the Catholic community get busy decorating their home for Christmas, the festival celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. If you have been considering buying new decorations but don’t know how to go about it, here is an easy one-stop guide to get everything you need in the suburbs
If you are looking to buy Christmas decorations this year, then Hill Road in Bandra has quite a few shops and stalls with a wide variety of options to choose from. Photo Courtesy: Nascimento Pinto/Mid-day
Even though the Mumbai heat tries to play spoilsport for many, the festive spirit seems to have taken over the city. Hill Road in Bandra is buzzing with Mumbaikars young and old, who are buying a load full of decorations that bring even their otherwise white bags to life. “Do you have a bauble?,” asks one lady to the shopkeeper, who has put up his makeshift stall exactly opposite Balaji Restaurant. Having been in the business for more than 25 years, Roshan Bharmar points directly at what she wants, clearly knowing what she has asked for.
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If you have lived in Mumbai long enough, you know how the city turns all colourful during the festive season. With Christmas around the corner, it is probably the first time that people are going to be going all out to celebrate the festival. While mass services and gatherings did resume in 2021, there was still some hesitancy as most people were still worried about Coronavirus and its many variants looming large over our heads.
The fact that the festival brings with it all shades of red, green, gold and silver with decorations means that many people will be looking to buy new decorations just so that it can be some fresh and positive energy in their homes. There are many different places in the city that have small shops that sell Christmas decorations which they have put on display. While their stock and options are often limited, there are a handful of places in the suburbs that manage to not only offer variety but also give you everything in one place. These places are found in suburbs such as Borivali, Malad, Dadar to name a few but most people often rely on the favourites and that is none other than Bandra and Crawford Market.
If you don’t want to travel all the way to Crawford Market, here are five places to buy your decorations from in Bandra. As far as street stalls go, you have to remember to bargain because it is only then that you will get a good deal.
Cheap Jack
If you have bought Christmas decorations in Bandra, you know Cheap Jack is a one-stop shop for all things Christmassy. Situated right next to Balaji Restaurant, the 90-year-old business run by the Kachwala family is thriving now more than ever before. When we visit, it already feels like Christmas because people are coming in to buy Santa hats, stockings to keep gifts, decorations and everything that one may need for Christmas that start as cheap as Rs 50 and go as high as Rs 11,000 for a 10 foot Christmas tree.
Hidden Treasure
While his brother runs Cheap Jack, Akbar Yusuf Kachwala, one of the proprietors of the family business, runs Hidden Treasure Explorers Paradise, and his son Huzefa runs Something Special in the same line. “People are coming back like before the Covid-19 pandemic and that is good. It is only just the start but should increase more,” says Kachwala as he cuts ribbons. He reveals that since the business is doing well, they have also now opened shop in Borivali near IC Colony. “Many of the customers who came here had told us to open something closer to Borivali, so we have also opened there and they are happy,” he adds. The shop is an extension of Bandra’s much-loved Cheap Jack and has prices similar to all the three shops here.
Something Special
Next door, his son Huzefa says he has spent most of his life at the shop and over the years has observed that the consumer has become more informed now than ever before. “They visit Europe and have seen a lot there, so they want to get those decorations here too. It is also the reason why we have to bring new things just like any other business,” says Kachwala, who is the third generation involved in the business. The decorations will be available till the end of the year.
Roshan Bharmar’s roadside stall
If you have a lower budget and can’t afford the expensive ones, don’t fret. Look directly opposite Balaji Restaurant and you will spot a roadside stall that has stars hanging high, a different sight from the tall Christmas trees that dot the footpath along Cheap Jack. The 58-year-old has been running the business annually for the last 25 years and keeps the small-size Christmas trees and decorations at affordable rates for Mumbaikars. “The Christmas trees are priced between Rs 50 and Rs 400, the decorations are anywhere between Rs 50 – Rs 250, and the stars are between Rs 200 – Rs 400.” While Bharmar has put up the stall only on Monday and business has been consistent even through the Covid-19 pandemic, he hopes it will be better this year.
Nandakumar Shinde’s stall
A few metres away from Bharmar’s stall is Nandkumar Shinde’s stall that has been there for over two decades. While Shinde has passed away, his family is continuing the business of selling Christmas decorations on Hill Road opposite St Peter’s Road. If you visit them during the day, they are easily noticeable from 11 am till it gets dark. After that, you may have to keep an eye out for them at night as their shop isn’t well illuminated and you may miss it in the blink of an eye. If you want bigger Christmas trees, then head to this stall because they have Christmas trees ranging from 4 feet to 6 feet. Like every other stall, this stall has a variety of baubles, bells, Santa Claus faces, candy canes and stockings that you can hang on your Christmas tree. They are priced anywhere between Rs 50 and go all the way to Rs 6,000.
Javed Khan’s stall
If you have spotted Javed Key Maker on Hill Road, you will know he also puts up an annual stall. Situated next to Shinde’s stall, he has been putting it up annually for roughly 10 years. Managed by a bunch of eager salesmen, one of which is the newly joined Bandra local Adnan, you will be sure to get a good deal, or at least that is what he promises. While they sell every kind of decoration like other stalls, they also have 4-foot and 5-foot Christmas trees that range between Rs 2,500 and Rs 5,000. If you are good with your bargaining skills, then you may just get a deal better than you expected.
Jay Maharashtra stall
If you are still indecisive, you might as well take a walk down the lane till you make up your mind. It gets easier because a little further, at the Jay Maharashtra stall, you will be able to look through decorations per piece for as cheap as Rs 50 and depending on what you choose, it can go up to Rs 400 too. The Christmas trees are no different. They have two different types – a 4-foot for Rs 2,000 and a 6-foot for Rs 6,000. Prod them to reduce the price a bit and they may give it to you cheaper than when you started out.
St Paul’s Book and Art Centre
Christmas celebrations are incomplete without making the crib. So, if you have sorted out your decorations and are still wondering where to pick your statues from, then you can consider St Paul’s Book and Art Centre, which is only a 10-minute walk from Hill Road to St Theresa Road (Road No 24) just after Tavaa, and opposite Duruelo Convent High School. As packed as can be, one can always get a wide variety of statues for the occasion. While they are available as single units that you can add to your pre-existing statues at home, they also have sets of 4 and 12 statues, among others that come along with the crib (written as house on the card). The statues are available Rs 1,500 onwards with the house at an additional cost.
If you have time on your hands, check out Crawford Market for Christmas decorations that many have enjoyed for many decades, and one that you can enjoy too.
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