Shopping for Christmas in the twin cities is in full swing as Christians throng shopping centres from evening to late night.
As Christmas day draws near, Christians in the twin cities have begun shopping for clothes, decorations and groceries to stock up for the occasion.
Garments shops and roadside stalls have experienced a surge in sales over the last week. Bilal, a shopkeeper at Super Market, said he had reduced profits on most garments in his shop and even sold some at a loss because he had not wanted to turn down any customer. “I don’t celebrate Christmas but I express my respect for the Christ by cutting down on my profit so Christians can celebrate their most important festival,” he said.
Abdul Rehman, a shopkeeper at Aabpara, said, “Our business has picked up in the past couple of weeks, we always earn more during December which is a festive season.”
Customers however complained that prices of most garments were beyond their reach. They said the goods displayed on sale were of inferior quality. Shahzad Masih said he had to compromise on the quality of clothes to be able to buy new clothes for his wife and children.
The Christian community has also been busy decorating trees and exchanging gifts. At the same time, shopkeepers have also set up stalls for Christmas cards and other related items in front of their shops to attract customers.
Christmas is an annual commemoration of the birth of Jesus Christ, celebrated on December 25 as a religious and cultural holiday by billions of people around the world. In Pakistan, Muslims also express solidarity with their Christian brethren on the occasion.
Christmas shopping in full swing
