Shanghai Small Commodities Market: Deck the halls for Chinese New Year

If you’re used to a culture that goes all out for Christmas, Decembers in Shanghai can be a little bit of a let down. But when the Lunar New Year rolls around, it is easy to see that this festival, by far the most important of the year for the Chinese, is where all the magic happens.

The magic of any holiday these days, of course, is powered by commercialism, which means there is no better way to get in the mood than to get in the thick of red and gold at the Fuyou Lu Small Commodities Market (427 Fuyou Lu, near Henan Lu 福佑路427号 近河南路).

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While you can find enough for a casual home-deco job at your local supermarket, this is the place locals go for better prices and a much wider, near overwhelming, selection. 

Here you’ll find everything from greeting cards to strings of chilies, red envelopes to fake plum blossom branches, and all the bunny-themed ornaments you’ll need to stay lucky during the Year of the Rabbit.

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The dozen or so shops on the first floor offering New Year’s wares normally do business selling wedding accessories and any other chachki you can think of, but will continue to provide for your festive needs until the first day of the New Year (February 3).

Decked out in traditional colors of luck and wealth, with tubs of stuffed rabbits spilling onto the street, this otherwise drab-looking building just a block down from Yuyuan is hard to miss.

 

Once inside, take a moment to orient yourself inside the maze of dangling lanterns and giant Chinese knots, where some of the tiny shops feel almost like walk-in shrines.

 

As we head into the year of the cutest animal in the zodiac, owning a pet rabbit for luck has become all the rage. Whether or not you support PETA’s campaign against this questionable trend, you can always bring home a couple of cuddly plush ones that are also a tad more … permanent.

 

Judging from the shop displays, 3D bunny blessings are the must-haves for this year. Red rectangular chunlian are so last generation, apparently.

 

For those looking for something a little more exciting than the usual red paper lanterns, some shops offer a selection of plastic rabbits that will light up -- and play tunes -- at the flick of a switch.

 

Wearing red underwear during the New Year is believed to bring good luck, so what better way to ring in the Year of the Rabbit than by slipping on a pair of red, 100 percent cotton bunny briefs?

Exchanging red underwear has become a popular tradition between lovers; this shop also offers a few cheeky for-him/for-her sets.

 

In the weeks leading up to Spring Festival, the Shanghai Small Commodities Market gets so busy during the day that most shopkeepers aren’t eager to entertain your attempts at bargaining -- unless you’re buying in large quantities (but we suggest that you try anyway).