The Christmas market in Nghe An is bustling.

Wide variety of products, stable prices.

In early December, along streets like Le Hong Phong, Nguyen Van Cu, Le Loi, and Ho Tung Mau, red and green colors and Christmas decorations appeared, covering the facades of shops, restaurants, and cafes, creating an earlier festive atmosphere than in previous years. This bustling activity partly reflects the significantly increased purchasing power, with many stores recording a large number of customers right from the start of the season.

At Ms. Pham Thi Nghia's decoration stall in the main hall of Vinh Market, the number of customers has increased sharply in the past week. "Most customers are cafes, restaurants, shopping centers… looking to buy decorations. Although the Chinese yuan has appreciated, the import prices from China have remained almost unchanged, and the goods are still very diverse across many price segments," Ms. Nghia said.

In the mass market category, Christmas accessories such as ornaments, bells, ribbons, Christmas glasses and headbands, and Santa Claus costumes continue to be best-selling items. Prices range from 20,000 VND to 500,000 VND, depending on size and material. Meanwhile, Christmas trees remain the most premium segment: 1.2m tall trees cost from 800,000 VND upwards; notably, white and pink snow pines are leading the trend.

This year's market also sees the prominence of handmade products, a new competitive advantage that stores are proactively expanding. While last year mainly featured round and traditional designs, this year many triangular, block-shaped designs or those incorporating colored strings, snowflakes, and new accessories have been launched, creating a distinct difference.

In the larger product category, reindeer models, oversized Christmas trees, and space lights are also selling well thanks to demand from cafes, service shops, and businesses. This year's supply has not only increased in quantity but also diversified in materials: plastic, silk, wood, burlap, etc. Many establishments are investing from several million to tens of millions of VND to attract customers for check-ins, a crucial factor in the competition of the service industry during the year-end season.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Y Nhi, owner of a coffee shop on Nguyen Van Cu Street, shared: “I hired a landscaping design company with a package costing 15 million VND to decorate the entire shop. Doing it early helps create an attractive space for customers right from the start of the season. Because customers come to coffee shops or shopping malls not only to use the services but also to ‘experience the Christmas atmosphere’.”

Prioritize experience and emotional value.

Besides the wide variety of goods, this year's Christmas season also sees a clear shift in consumer tastes. In particular, personalized products such as handmade cards, scented candles, and decorated gift boxes are becoming increasingly popular among young people.

Office workers and young families prefer products that can be used for a long time, such as real plants, handicrafts, or reusable accessories. The sustainable consumption trend is strongly impacting the market: Customers consider materials, durability, and environmental friendliness before purchasing. Alongside traditional decorations, real pine and fir trees are becoming a "hot trend" this Christmas season, clearly reflecting a shift in consumer tastes. At many stores, models priced from 100,000 to 300,000 VND are constantly selling out, especially the mini desk trees which are very popular among young office workers.

Ms. Tran Phuong Lan, residing on Kim Dong Street, said: “Real trees, though smaller than artificial ones, have a natural beauty and can be cared for daily. They are decorated with dried orange slices, dried cinnamon… which are both fragrant and environmentally friendly. This year I spent 500,000 VND to buy a tree to decorate my family's small room.”

Not only appealing to individual customers, the Japanese yew and fragrant juniper are also a popular choice for many shops and businesses due to their gentle beauty and air-purifying abilities. Ms. Ai Huong, who chose a Japanese yew for her workspace, shared: “The plants range in height from 45cm to 1.5m, suitable for many spaces. Moreover, using real plants contributes to reducing plastic waste, creating a sustainable consumption trend.”

Capitalizing on this trend, many plant shops have switched entirely to selling real Christmas trees. Quoc Tung, the owner of a plant shop in Vinh Phu ward, said that demand for these trees has steadily increased over the past five years, resulting in a more abundant supply this year. Real trees can be planted in the ground after the holiday season, cared for properly, and even enjoyed the following year, adding to their appeal for buyers.

The atmosphere in the flower shops was equally bustling. Many workshops on decorating Christmas trees and making scented candles were held on weekends, attracting many young people.

In particular, many people see decorating for Christmas themselves as a way to create a warm atmosphere for the family. Ms. Nguyen Thi Hoai, from Hung Dong ward, said: "Christmas is a time for family reunion. I often buy some handmade items to decorate with my children; it's fun and creates lasting memories."

According to small business owners, the 2025 Christmas season will not only be a shopping season, but also a season of emotions and experiences. Innovative tastes, the rise of sustainable trends, and the expected continued increase in purchasing power leading up to the holiday all create a vibrant, diverse, and lively Christmas market, one of the most prominent highlights of the year-end consumer market.