A Christmas market scene
Christmas is a season of peace on earth and goodwill as Christians all over the world gather to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.
It is also the season of excess shopping, buying gifts for loved ones and self-pampering.
However, with barely a month to Christmas, some businesses have been experiencing disappointing Christmas sales while others have seen an increase in patronage, a Ghana News Agency (GNA) Christmas shopping survey in some parts of Accra, has revealed.
“We are not having a hectic time, sales are just okay,” said Mr Innocent Amuzu, the Sales Manager of Kuuks Mart.
The same sentiment was echoed at the Grace Services at Makola, with the Sales Clerk, Madam Naa Adoley, saying, home appliances such as refrigerators and microwaves were selling fairly well.
When the GNA visited Kids World at East Legon, it was noticed that sales of children’s toys and cars were booming.
The Shop Attendant, Mr Ishmeal Ofori said, sales of toys had been extremely good.
"Last year we had COVID-19 so sales were not as good as this year,” he said.
At Thoughts and More gift Shop at Westland, a shop attendant, Angel Adzo, told the GNA they had not had many customers for Christmas yet but was hopeful that coming weeks would be different.
Meanwhile, her neighbour Mary Asou, who runs a hairdressing salon, was seen by the GNA to be quite busy as there was an upsurge of clients who wanted their hair fixed for events on their calendars and special occasions.
At the Hair Port Saloon at Ashongman Estate, the parlour was fully booked, about a month to Christmas, the Manager told the GNA.
Fashion boutiques like Woodin Ghana and laylas_ gh_ closet also recorded increase in clientele shopping for the yuletide.
While some businesses think the coming weeks would be more profitable because customers tend to shop at the last minute and most people would have received their salaries, Madam Emelia Agyei, a vegetable seller at Tema Station was not optimistic about what was to be expected.
She told the GNA that patronage of commodities had been low compared to last year during the same time even when there was COVID-19.