Christmas decoration trade seems to be the only segment thriving this festive season. Broadway, the commercial nerve centre of Kochi city, may have been thronged by crowds in the days leading up to Christmas, but traders say that apart from the decorative segment of Christmas trees, Santa Claus figures, and stars, business in other sectors – especially garments – has been largely stripped of festive cheer due to a combination of factors. Whether families chose to cut costs this Christmas by foregoing new clothes or not, footfalls in textile outlets have been so poor that many shops have reduced operating hours to save on utility expenses.
