Just as you’re putting away your Halloween decorations (if you do that!), you’ve probably noticed that Christmas stuff is already up in stores around Japan. While Christmas is strictly a commercial and/or romantic holiday to most Japanese folks, it’s becoming increasingly easy to find bargain holiday decorations in Japan. Plus, if you’re sending gifts home for the holidays or going home yourself, now is a perfect time to begin shopping and wrapping before that last minute rush.
Yesterday, a loyal Frugal Japan reader tipped us off to a great resource for frugal wrapping paper, Christmas cards, and other stationery purchases: Shimojima, a wholesale stationery supplier. They sell everything from paper bags to wrapping paper to signage to plastic plates, all at very good prices. Our frugal source said that she found great beautiful Japanese-themed Christmas cards at between 100-200 yen, one third cheaper than retail, and Christmas themed-napkins for 250 yen. Shimojima is also one of the few Japanese wholesalers I’ve found with an English website. Check the Stores link for a list of retail locations within Japan. (Thanks, Jacqui!)
My major Christmas decoration finds last year were at my local 100 yen shop. A store in one of the larger chains (such as Daiso) will probably have some great steals on overruns from last year’s merchandise. I found several cute mini trees with a wood base for 100 yen each, plus wreaths.
There were also ample decoration packs, making for a creative evening spent decorating the trees and wreaths. I even found a few CDs with general Christmas-themed music: good for parties or teaching holiday classes. All for 100 yen!
Finally, Costco Wholesale is a great source for authentic holiday merchandise. While not so price competitive, you do get a lot for your money. The price-per-unit on real Christmas cards, wrapping paper, and decorations is much better than other sources. The only problem is using what you’ve bought! Splitting the paper or cards between two friends or families might be a good way to save some money.
With the holidays approaching, there are lots of opportunities to spend money we might not have otherwise. While this is part of the fun, it’s also very easy to go into debt! Above all else, plan ahead and budget for your expenses for a fun, debt-free holiday season.
© 2004 Wendy J. Imura.