Christmas is right around the corner and there's no better time to get a jump on your holiday decorating. While Christmas trees, festive ornaments, and other holiday decorations aren't as easy to find in China as they are in many other countries, it is possible to bring home those items that really make it feel like the holidays. Read on for some of the best places to go.

Holiday decorations

1) Han CityView In Map

While the giant fake market on Nanjing Xi Lu might not sound like the most tempting place in which to venture for holiday goodies, rest assured that if you know what you're looking for the visit can be surprisingly quick and fairly easy. The second floor is a good place to start, where you can quickly pop into any store that sells random Chinese knickknacks (you know the places I'm talking about – the ones with all the Buddhas, lucky knots, etc.). Chances are you'll see rows of boxes lined on the shelves full of all sorts of Christmas ornaments. My favorites are the blown glass ones with both generic holiday and Chinese pictures on them. Depending on how hard you want to bargain for them, expect to pay around 100 RMB for a box of eight ornaments.

Add: 580 Nanjing Xi Lu, near Chengdu Bei Lu, Shanghai
地址：上海市南京西路580号, 近成都北路
Opening hours: Daily, 10:00-22:00

2) Yu GardenView In Map

Another location for the brave is Yu Garden – or, more specifically, the insane shopping area directly outside the garden. You will certainly be rewarded, however, as you're greeted by every sort of holiday accessory you can imagine: (fake) wreaths, angel-themed doo dads, stockings, reindeer lawn ornaments (or if you're like me and don't have a yard, living room ornaments), etc. These all go for dirt-cheap if you're willing to take the time to haggle (around 25 RMB for stockings and 40 RMB for wreaths). You can even buy fake trees here, although the quality leaves something to be desired. Keep reading for better fake (and real) tree options.

Add: 137 Anren Jie, near Fuyou Lu, Shanghai
地址：上海市豫园, 安仁街137号, 近福佑路
Tel: 021 6326 0830
Opening hours: Daily, 8:3-17:00

3) CarrefourView In Map

Carrefour is familiar to pretty much every expat who wants the semblance of a grocery store "back home." But in case you're not aware of the chain's other fine points, let me mention their holiday section. Located in the homewares section of the store, you can find many of the more traditional Christmas necessities like stockings, tinsel, and other smaller accessories. This is a favorite place to go for many, as it's extremely convenient to swing by during your weekly food run.

Add: B1-2/F, Cloud Nine Shopping Mall, 1018 Changning Lu, near Kaixuan Lu, Shanghai
地址：上海市长宁路1018号龙之梦购物中心地下1-2楼, 近凯旋路
Tel: 021 6226 1364
Opening hours: 8:00-22:30

Christmas trees

1) Hongqiao Bird & Flower MarketView In Map

A great place to go for household plants, the Hongqiao Bird & Flower Market also doubles as a fantastic destination for holiday foliage. You can get both fake and real Christmas trees, and there are always so many vendors selling the same goods that you can usually find exactly what you want at a reasonable price. If you're really feeling in a festive mood, check out their poinsettia plants as well – just be careful if you have any pets, as those beautiful red leaves can prove poisonous!

Add: 718 Hongjing Lu, near Hongsong Lu, Shanghai
地址：上海市虹井路718号, 近红松路
Tel: 021 5117 3882
Opening hours: 9:00-18:00

2) Holiday HouseView In Map

No, Holiday House is not just for Halloween! They also have a great assortment of everything Christmas, divided between two different buildings located right next to each other. This is the place to go if you want some more obscure holiday items, like Santa themed towels or reindeer mugs. They also have a large number of fake Christmas trees priced around 200 RMB each. Even if you walk in wanting only a tree, prepare to be struck by an extreme urge to impulse shop.

Add: 1188 Panyu Lu, near Kaixuan Lu, Shanghai
地址：上海市番禺路1188号, 近凯旋路,地铁
Tel: 021 6447 7189
Opening hours: 09:30-18:00

3) Caojiadu Flower MarketView In Map
Another great flower market to visit is the Caojiadu one, where you can find real Christmas trees of the Shanghai variety. Expect to pay in the mid 200's for a one and a half meter tree, while a two meter high tree will typically run in the mid 300's. If you want to get fancy, splurge for a tree in a decorative pot for around 700 RMB. Also keep in mind that you won't have to cart the tree home once you've found the perfect one – almost all of the vendors deliver. After choosing a tree that suits your style, you can go ahead and find all the wreaths, poinsettias, lights, and decorations to go with it at the market as well.

Add: 1148 Changshou Lu, near Wanhangdu Lu, Shanghai
地址：上海市长寿路1148号, 近万航渡路
Tel: 021 5239 7777
Opening hours: Daily, 07:00-19:00

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Keywords: Christmas decorations Shanghai Shanghai holiday decorations Christmas trees Shanghai