Best Selling Breeders During Chinese New Year In The Glodok Ring Area

Chinese New Year's snacks are being peddled in one of the traders' stalls in the Pepinan Glodok area, West Jakarta (ANTARA/Sri Dewi Larasati)

JAKARTA - Ahead of the Chinese New Year celebration of 2576 Kongzili which falls on January 29, 2025, the Pepinan Glodok Pancoran area in West Jakarta has begun to be crowded with people hunting for various Chinese New Year knick-knacks. Traders in this area peddle their wares which are dominated by red and gold ornaments, which are synonymous with Chinese New Year celebrations.

Sidewalks along the way from the Pepinan gate to Petak Six are filled with various kinds of decorations, ranging from lanterns, flower trees, hangers, to angpao envelopes. There is also a snake image decoration that matches this year's zodiac.

Ayu, a 21-year-old trader, said that various decorations sold, such as snake-shaped hangers, lanterns, and angpao envelopes, became people's favorites this year.

"Usually buyers like to find a snake or hanger, because this year the zodiac of a snake. In addition, the lanterns are also the most hunted," Ayu explained as quoted by ANTARA.

The Lanterns offered are also diverse, including the type that can turn on using electricity. The price of the lantern depends on the size and model. A flash that uses electricity costs around Rp. 1 million, while ordinary lanterns are below Rp. 500 thousand,' he added.

In addition to lanterns, angpao envelopes with unique features such as recorded sounds are also the target of buyers. This envelope allows users to record voice messages that will be heard when the envelope opens. The price of this innovative envelope starts at IDR 50,000 per piece.

Ayu also revealed that visitors usually boom on weekends, especially in January. He felt this year was more crowded than the previous year.

"Saturday and Sunday visitors were very crowded, we were so overwhelmed with serving buyers. Compared to last year, now there are more enthusiasts," he said.

Meanwhile, Aeng (51), one of the visitors, admitted that he likes to shop for Chinese New Year equipment in this area. In addition to typical knick-knacks, he also finds a variety of complementary snacks such as candy and nuts at affordable prices.

"This area is always an option because the atmosphere is crowded and the goods are sold completely. The price is also relatively cheap," said Aeng.

The Glodok Pepinan area is not only a place to shop, but also a center for cultural celebrations that are often visited before the Chinese New Year. The large number of visitors and complete choices of goods make this place a favorite destination every year.