Christmas comes early to malls
Evi Mariani and P.C. Naommy, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta/Tangerang
Christmas is still 10 days away but malls in the city have been gearing up for the festivity by providing special programs and attractions related to the Christmas.
Men dressed in Santa Claus costumes are to be found in all the malls, ready to entertain children.
"Hundreds of children came to shake my hand yesterday," Andra, a "Santa Claus" working at Pondok Indah Mall in South Jakarta, told The Jakarta Post on Sunday, while busy shaking hands with curious children.
Andra, who has been hired by a pen manufacturer from Dec. 13 to Dec. 24, said that it took him 15 minutes to put the costume on, including sticking on the white beard and eyebrows with sticky tape.
Christmas is definitely a profitable time for traders.
"We have sold up to four Christmas trees every day so far," Wida, a shop attendant at Kelapa Gading mall in North Jakarta, said.
The shop sells imported, flickering plastic Christmas trees for between Rp 450,000 (US$53) and Rp 2.3 million each, depending on the size and decorations.
In Supermal Karawaci, Tangerang, children were rapturous playing with fake snow.
"It's snowing! Let's catch some snow," they shouted on Saturday at the launch of the Christmas festivities.
Supermal marketing and communications manager Jannywati said that the snow was made from special liquid that was turned into white flakes by a machine.
"People don't have to visit Orchard Road in Singapore just to experience artificial snow," she said, adding that it was the first artificial snow produced in Indonesia.
Jannywati said that the management had allocated around Rp 3.25 billion to stage the event from Dec. 5 to Jan. 4 and hoped that around 80,000 people would visit the mall during the one- month event.
At Mal Taman Anggrek, West Jakarta, the management has erected a 21-meter tall Christmas tree of over nine meters in width decorated in pink and violet to mark the mall's collaboration with Mattel Inc. in promoting Barbie's new movie, Swan Lake.
"There is magic in the Swan Lake tale and we hope we can bring magic to our visitors this Christmas," said Dessy Tanumihardjo, the advertising and public relations coordinator of the mall.
In addition to this special attraction, which started on Dec. 5 and runs until Jan. 4, the mall is also collaborating with the Lion's Club to hold a charity program called "Eye Care".
The program actually began on Oct. 19 and will run until Feb. 1. Every visitor can participate in the program by buying a souvenir from the Lion's Club. The money will be used to help people with impaired eyesight who come from poor families.