Rui Pastorin, Kristina Vallesteros
This year’s 17-day Christmas Market in Praça do Tap Siac kicked off yesterday afternoon, marking the start of holiday themed activities for locals and tourists to enjoy.
Held under a colourful scene of Christmas decorations and large Christmas trees, this year’s fair features 24 brightly coloured stalls, with 12 selling gifts and the other 12 selling a variety of snacks. Things to do other than eating and shopping, meanwhile, include several scheduled performances as well as the return of attractions like the carousel and a large-scale inflatable slide. As stall operators prepared their booths and displays to kick off a day of sales, Post reporters interviewed four of them to learn more about their products and expectations this year.
Using the holidays for a greater cause
Selling products at the market for the first time is a group hoping to raise funds for non-profit animal rescue centre ANIMA Macau. During the fair’s run, their booth will be selling Christmas-themed handmade crafts, pet toys and other items featuring original artwork. According to two of the group’s co-owners, Zoe and Mimi, who are in their early twenties, the products they are selling were all created by them and their friends according to their artistic talents, with the idea to support ANIMA coming up after one of their other co-owners had adopted a cat, wanting to support the animal-protection association as it lacks funds.
“This is something really meaningful and we also wanted to contribute something to those helping animals”, said Zoe, with Mimi adding that they were glad to use the holidays to work towards this goal more than anything else.
With this year being the first time they have joined, Zoe said that they are quite excited but also worried about how it will go given that they are completely new. And while they are unsure about how things will pan out throughout the market’s run, Zoe said that the important thing was to get people to pay attention and help animals. Mimi added that the simplest thing one can do is to give money to ANIMA, but they are hoping to make it sustainable. A step they have taken towards this is to open accounts on Instagram and on social media platforms in the Chinese mainland to increase brand visibility and, in turn, get more people to donate to ANIMA, added Zoe, with their participation in the market also being like “a gateway to let more people know our brand”.
A profitable event, though expectations are low
Jeff, who is in his 40s, is showcasing his Cantonese slang-themed cat scratch pads for the second year in a row. Compared to other similar craft or flea markets held in places like Coloane which, he said, are “not profitable” irrespective of the number of customers, the Christmas market has proved to be more lucrative given its central location, prompting him to come back for the second year.
Jeff added, however, that he was not expecting many tourists from the mainland to visit the fair given Christmas is more of a Western holiday. In that regard, he added that as his products were made specifically for Macau’s pet lovers, Jeff said that sales might just be at a “normal” level given that they aren’t geared towards mainland Chinese tourists, who may not connect with his products compared to buyers from Macau and Hong Kong, or prefer to spend their money on other things. He also mentioned that sales may not be as high this time around due to Macau’s “downscale of economics”.
Sweet treats and steady hopes
Also returning for his second year, James, 25, runs a stall specialising in candy apples. His festive offerings include six flavours, with a special Christmas edition among them. To make them easy to share, each glossy apple is pre-sliced into pieces. The stall’s classic red candy and green matcha flavour is a deliberate nod to the Christmas theme.
James believes this year’s market feels more immersive, with multiple decorated Christmas trees creating a better atmosphere than last year’s single display. After a successful debut last season, his goal is to build on that momentum and return in future years. He expects the enhanced decorations to attract a larger crowd, including more tourists drawn to the festive setting.
Moreover, participating for the first time is Jerry, 42, who is helping out at a family-run stall. They focus on handmade desserts and drinks, from rich Thai milk tea to traditional Chinese beverages. While hopeful for a good turnout, his expectations are measured. He predicts sales will be steady and that locals will likely make up most of the crowd, with tourists expected to be a smaller portion. For Jerry, the main hope is simply that many marketgoers come and enjoy his family’s homemade products.
The Christmas Market is open from 2 p.m. to 11 p.m. daily. However, on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve, the event will run through midnight. More details, including the schedule of performances and play facilities, can be found on https://www.iam.gov.mo/
Christmas trees and other decorations, along with several themed booths and attactions, are seen in Praça do Tap Siac yesterday. – Photos: Rui Pastorin
