Click to play videoThrissur: With just days left for Christmas, sale of Christmas stars in Kerala have started gaining momentum. But the economic meltdown has taken its toll on this quintessential part of the festival too.
Sales of the Christmas stars have been hard hit by the market meltdown due to the increasing power cuts in Kerala Kunnamkulam, where millions of these stars are made.
"The economic crisis and the power cuts have adversely affected the sale of stars. It will dampen the spirit of Christmas too. The prices of paper have shot up and the working charges have also increased. All these have influenced the star market," explained a Christmas star manufacturer, A Jose.
The struggling industry is trying to innovate. Christmas stars now sport ads of superhit movies in the hope that Mohanlal and Mammootty fans can be induced to buy them.
Social issues too are prominent as there is even a star named after the sensational Sister Abhaya murder case
"There are stars even in the name of cinemas. Our stars are printed in Shivakasi. We make the stars here and send it to all parts of India. We make over fifty designs," said worker C Abhilash.
Some of these Christmas stars now cost as much as Rs 800. But for traditional Christian families in the state, a Christmas without them is unthinkable.
"Christmas comes only once in a year. We have to have great celebration. We have to make cribs. Though the prices of stars are high, we can't celebrate Christmas without it," said a Christmas star buyer K Wilson.
Traders say the sale of artificial Christmas trees is at least on the upswing.
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