Where to buy Christmas trees
Christmas trees, like the 23m behemoth pictured left, are popping up all over town, with both hotels (particularly along Chang’an Dajie) and the larger malls being especially keen to jump aboard the festive wagon. The number of Christmas decorations festooning the city appears to be more than in previous years; one noticeable trend is the combination of Christmas and Olympic imagery, with the most visible example being the Christmasy five rings that adorn the entrance to the Beijing Hotel (see image below).
For those who feel the need to welcome a Shengdan shu into their home, we offer up this list (see below) of a few places around town where you can pick up either a fake plastic tree or the real deal. We should warn all those who rely on IKEA for their entire home decorating needs that the huge Swedish mega store has sold out of trees and won't be getting any more in before Christmas. They do, however, still have plenty of Christmas decorations for sale.
If you’re not sure what to do with the tree once you do manage to get it home, maybe the decorating tips mentioned in this article from the December issue of tbjkids will come in handy. You can also take a look at the links and sources section below for plenty of other useful Christmas-related articles that have appeared in that's Beijing or mentioned on the Beijinger Forum.
Fake trees range from about RMB 35-580 depending on height and are available at:
Alien Street Market
Laofanjie Shichang, Yabao Lu (south of Fulllink Plaza), Chaoyang District.
老番街市场, 朝阳区雅宝路
Beijing Wantong Market
Trees here range from RMB 40-280.
2 Fuchengmenwai Dajie, Xicheng District. (6804 6283)
北京万通批发市场地址：阜成门外大街2号
Hongqiao Market
Prices range from approximately RMB 40-100. Daily 8.30am-7pm. 36 Hongqiao Lu, Chongwen District. (6713 3354)
红桥市场, 崇文区红桥路36号
Jenny Lou's (Sanlitun Branch)
RMB 89 for a 150cm tree.
Daily 8am-10pm. 6 Sanlitun Beixiaojie, Chaoyang District (6461 6928)
婕妮璐, 朝阳区三里屯北小街6号
Jenny Lou's (Chaoyang Park Branch)
Choice of a 180cm or 210cm tree that goes for RMB 220 or 270 respectively.
Daily 8am-midnight. South of West gate of Chaoyang Park, Chaoyang District (6501 6249)
婕妮璐, 朝阳区朝阳公园西门南侧
Jenny Lou's (Shunyi Branch)
RMB 130 for a 100cm tree.
Daily 7.30 am-10pm. Pinnacle Plaza, Shunyi District. (8046 2316/3302)
婕妮璐, 顺义区荣祥广场;
Tiancheng Market
We’re not sure on prices, but you’ll need to bargain hard.
54 Zhongguancun Nandajie, Haidian District. (6217 6170/6256).
天成市场, 海淀区中关村南大街54号
Real Trees range from about RMB 200-600 and can be purchased at:
Liangma Flower Market
Both real and plastic trees of various sizes available here. Delivery available. Daily 8.30am-6.30pm. South bank of Liangma River, Dongsanhuan Beilu, Chaoyang District. (6504 2446)
亮马花卉市场, 朝阳区东三环北路, 燕莎商城南, 亮马河南岸
Laitai Flower Market
Both real (150-250cm) and plastic trees of various sizes available here. Laitai also offer really weird and expensive "trees" (see pic right) that go for up to RMB 150,000. Delivery available.
Mon-Thu 9am-6pm, Fri 9am-6.30 pm, Sat-Sun 9am-7pm. 9 Maizidian Xilu, Chaoyang District. (6463 6145)
莱太花卉市场, 朝阳区麦子店西路9号
Links and Sources:
tbjkids: It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas
The Beijinger Forum: Where to find fake Christmas trees
The Beijinger Forum: a DIFFERENT Xmas tree question
that’s Beijing: Eggnog –Recipe for a groggy noggin
and more on Eggnog at the Beijinger forum
that’s Beijing: If Santa Were Chinese
yndaily.com: 大圣诞树亮相北京 (image)
View Images: Santa’s Little Helpers
People.com.cn: [组图]五环圣诞树亮相北京长安街 吸引游人目光(image)
Sina: 组图：价值15万玻璃圣诞树亮相北京(image)
Yuanlin.com: 今年圣诞树以奥运为主题（组图）(image)
CE.cn: Diamond Tree
From the Vault:
Ich Bin Ein Beijinger: Up on the Yule Log
that’s Beijing: Cashing in on Christmas
that’s Beijing: Ho Ho Hu Tong!