The basic deal with Christmas trees in Shanghai: you've got your fake ones and your real ones. You've got a surprising amount of variety in both categories. For both, depending on your commitment to the premise, you can spend very little -- around 100-200rmb -- to a whole lot -- several thousand rmb for fully decorated, no fuss, no muss imported behemoth Christmas trees.
SmartShanghai scoured the flower shops, flower markets, and Christmas baaazaaarrss. Here's what we found, ordered from cheapest to most expensive:
***
Carrefour
JAH-LO-FO only does fake trees but they've got a lot of them and they're cheap and actually not too bad. Cheapest is a 1.5m fake-y for 99rmb. It's an ideal purchase if you want to make the gesture but don't want to spend a lot. It's basically a little green wire and plastic thing and it comes in a box and you slot it together and bend down the branches. The same model can be upgraded to 2m for 249rmb, which is the basic normal Christmas tree size. Then you can get a 2.5m one for 319rmb. There's a couple other variations on the fake trees, including a more realistic looking one, replete with a bit of sprayed on snow, for slightly more cash.
Bottom line: Cheapest and easiest way to get a fake tree, along with all the decorations you'll need. Carefour has a fairly extensive Christmas section with all the boubles, lights, streamers and what have you. Also a very impressive line of Santa hats. Like five different kinds!
Caojiadu Flower Market
Amongst the labyrinth of forestry and floristry on Changshou Lu, are several shops selling real (and kinda crappy) fake Christmas trees. Prices are settled after haggling and quality tends to vary with the trees. In general, for real trees there seems to be two general varieties: Those imported from Northern China -- these are authentic Christmas trees (expensive) -- and a "foreign breed grown near Shanghai" -- these are approximations and significantly cheaper, although they look more suited to being outside rather than inside. Caojiadu Flower Market has a lot of the latter going on and basically none of the former. Prices: 360rmb for 2.0m; 260rmb for 1.5m, with a fair amount of leeway in there depending on the quality of the individual tree. Being a flower market, they've also got your wreathes and poinsettias and so on.
But for the real deal, though, head to shop number 166-2. A healthy-looking 2.1m high tree, complete with ceramic pot will set you back 680rmb. They'll also deliver, and can also furnish you with lights starting from 25rmb and decorations from 10rmb.
Bottom Line: Real Christmas tree-inspired trees for cheap (er). And one option for authentic trees...
Hongqiao Bird and Flower Market
It's a trek for most, but trust us, it's worth it. There are numerous shops selling large candle holders which would make a delightful centre pieces for a table, starting at around 50rmb. Large wreaths can be bought for around 80rmb, whilst smaller versions garnished with fake fruits sell for 30rmb.
The two standout stalls for real Christmas trees are A-40 (we were quoted 430rmb for a sizable tree in an attractive pot, including delivery... but actually bought it for somewhat less than that. Perseverance and a smile are key). Yi Han Tong at A-42 feels a bit like an enchanted forest. Prices start at around 480rmb for a 1.5m tree, including pot and delivery. For fakes, head to Bai Yu Lan Hua Yuan (A-76) where 600rmb will buy you a 2.1m high tree with built in blue or white LED lights. It's pretty flash. They also have lights from 30rmb and packs of baubles from around 10rmb. Z-Bo (No. 88) is a veritable Christmas wonderland, with evocative, piney smells, seasonal carols and a nice selection of classy wooden decorations, starting from around 10rmb. Outside, they have a 2.1m high fake tree, complete with a frosting of fake snow and festooned with pinecones – yours for a whopping 1,880rmb.
Bottom Line: It's one of the better if not the best flower market in town and if you're up for travelling, they've got the goods.
Yu Market
199 Fang Bang Zhong Lu. It's a veritable Santa's grotto of festive décor (although on SmartShanghai's visit, the guys working there were decidedly grumpy – don't let them bring you down). Embroidered stockings sell for 20rmb each, and fake wreaths start from 35rmb. Done your shop Christmas shopping already? Well done -- consider wrapping your goodies in their range of festive ribbons, 5 or 10rmb for 3m. There are baubles from just a couple of kwai, and angel paper chains for 25rmb. Outside they have not only a range of fake trees (from 35rmb for 1.5m through to 160rmb for 3m), but also miniature reindeer (fake, obviously) crafted from wood, wire and tinsel from 68rmb.
Bottom Line: Accessories, accessories, accessories. And cheap, cheap fakes. And watchbagDVD.
Yongjia
On Shaanxi Lu, just south of Fuxing Lu there are several florist shops all right next to each other. There's about five or six right there, selling basically the same thing, which is a couple varieties of fake trees as well as real trees, of the same variety as in the Caojiadu Flower Market. So, basically, if you want to nit-pick, these aren't Christmas trees, but they're basically Christmas trees, and priced a bit cheaper: 280rmb for 2.0m; 180rmb for 1.5m. I'm thinking that the individual vendors in Shanghai are getting these Christmas-like trees from the same location, and it's luck-of-the-draw in terms of quality. Some stores are better at getting the nicer ones, so you have to look around a bit. These flower stores have embraced the whole Christmas thing as well, and they all have basic decorations and so on.
Bottom Line: Close approximations to Christmas trees in French Concession at market prices. And Christmas decorations as well.
The Graces Floral
Graces Floral is that flower shop on Donghu Lu, right across from el Willy. You've seen it. They also have Christmas trees. They do both real and fake, although the limited size of the store means that you'll be ordering your tree with a consultant. They don't have them on site. So basically have to tell them what they want and they'll go out and get it for you. The person you'll be speaking with is Diana Jim (138 0195 5944), and she's the artistic director. Yes. That's right. The artistic director. Anyways, real trees start at 300rmb for 2.0m and you sort of work it out from there. They can do decoration, delivery and all that. It's a two-day turnaround and you basically have to trust them to get it right in getting your tree for you. But, hey, I would. They seem to know what they're doing.
Bottom Line: Tell someone what you want and they'll go out and get it for you. Real Christmas trees for slightly cheaper than the options below. Trees tailored to your needs...
Au Nom de La Rose
Coming to us from France, Au Nom de la Rose is a high-end florist specialising in roses -- arrangements, accoutrements, scents thereof and more. It's a Euro-chic, classy, classy boutique, and although they're probably more orientated towards Valentine's Day, they've got a Christmas tree special on as well. The offer high end, custom-arranged Christmas trees in three sizes -- .5m, 1.5m, and 2.0m -- at three prices – 388rmb, 600rmb, 700rmb, respectively. The trees themselves are arranged and groomed in-house, and are definitely the most rich-looking and lush we saw on our extensive travels.
Bottom Line: Au Nom de la Rose for classy, high-end Christmas trees, if you also need it to look really chic and tasteful and fashionable, and don't mind paying for it.
Rosa Gallica
Rosa Gallica is a damn fine plant store and they have damn fine imported Christmas trees for quite a bit of money. They're selling trees imported in from Dongbei, but they might as well have been felled in Santa's back yard. And they're big: 3.0m are 800rmb and 3.5m are 850rmb. Along with that, they've got hand-made wreaths for 100rmb-200rmb, the 30rmb poinsettias and whatever else Christmas that has to do with plants: candle adornments and so on.
Bottom Line: Authentic Christmas trees. The real deal. If money is not a big concern and you're looking for verisimilitude, head to Rosa Gallica. Ideal for well-off families with kids looking to re-create the storybook Christmas in Shanghai. Top-of-the-line authentic trees...
