Broadway, the commercial heart of Kochi city, was crowded before Christmas but business has been uneven. Traders say only Christmas decoration shops are thriving, while garment sales have plunged. "Broadway is bustling with people in the evenings. But that hardly translates into business, except for the Christmas decoration trade," said P.A. Sageer, president of the Broadway Shop Owners Association. In Mather Bazaar, the decoration hub, shops are busy with strong sales of new Christmas trees, Santa Claus figures, and LED stars. Jayesh James, a decorative items seller, said, "The fully decorated Christmas trees that can be wrapped around a pole have been a big hit this season despite their high prices, ranging from ₹8,000 to ₹16,000." Customers prefer quality over price. Santa Claus figures that dance and play music sell for ₹150 to ₹7,000. LED stars shaped like reindeer priced between ₹400 and ₹1,100 are popular too. By contrast, garment traders face a tough season. "Sales have dropped by around 40% compared to last year. Business is so poor that we now open only by 9:30 a.m. and close by 7:30 p.m. to save electricity costs," said Hakkim Ismail, a garment trader since 1984. Traders stocked up early but now have unsold inventory that is hard to shift as Kerala leads trends. "Firms surviving hand-to-mouth will be forced to shut down, while others doing reasonably well will be pushed into debt through overdrafts or bank loans," warned Mr. Ismail.