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View all search resultsLunar New Year drives corporate decor boom, but retail demand falters
Sellers of nian gao or kue keranjang in Glodok’s Chinatown area as well as parts of West and Central Java reporting softer sales compared to previous years.
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A woman walks past Lunar New Year decorations on Feb. 8, 2026 in the Petak Sembilan area of Glodok, West Jakarta. About a week ahead of the Lunar New Year, ethnic Chinese residents begin shopping for festive ornaments to mark the Year 2577 on the Chinese calendar. (JP/Iqro Rinaldi)
O
rders for Lunar New Year (Imlek) decorations began pouring in unusually early this year for Jakarta-based decoration service Party Buddies, as the festive season closely coincides with the fasting month of Ramadan, which starts less than a week later.
“This year, demand is much higher for corporate events with bigger spending. Turnover is maybe 50 to 70 percent higher compared to last year,” the business’s representative, Edhityas Riesta, told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday, adding that corporate decoration packages typically range between Rp 2.5 million and Rp 7 million (US$149–$416), depending on scale and customization.
Party Buddies is an example of businesses seeing a surge in corporate demand amid back-to-back festive seasons that are predicted to last until Idul Fitri in mid-March and into the following month. On the other hand, the tight holiday schedule is straining demand from individuals and families, as they prefer to be more cautious with spending.
According to Party Buddies, the pickup in corporate demand has been visible since the Christmas and New Year holidays, which rolled directly into Lunar New Year and Ramadan.
“Usually, Ramadan orders come in mid-month, closer to Idul Fitri. But this year, even before Ramadan starts, people are already asking to prepare decorations as early as possible,” she said.
Having run Party Buddies since 2014, Riesta said demand for Lunar New Year decorations had steadily grown over the past three years, prompting the business to expand its seasonal portfolio.
Decorations remain central to Imlek celebrations, particularly in malls, offices and public spaces, where red-and-gold color schemes, lanterns and festive installations serve as visual anchors for promotional campaigns and photo spots. Offices, meanwhile, usually prepare elaborate setups for employee open houses and corporate gatherings.
