Hardly Christmas at a heartlands mall

I was surprised to see only one Christmas tree at a shopping mall. It's in what Singapore calls the heartlands -- where ordinary people live, away from the shopping district and the posh areas. But it's next to a subway station and a bus interchange, visited by countless people, and usually does spruce up for Christmas. Yesterday evening, however, I saw nothing special, just the usual signs and lights the shops and department stores display round the year. There was the weekend crowd, but except for the sole Christmas tree at an NTUC FairPrice supermarket and the piped Christmas jingles, one wouldn't have known this is the festive season. The austerity seemed strange considering the economy is reported to be booming and unemployment below 3 per cent.

I am sure the shopping district and tourist trap that's Orchard Road is bright with lights. It's always at its glitzy best at Christmas. This is its peak business season. Christmas in Singapore is as much about luring shoppers and tourists as about merrymaking and festivities. The tourism board tries its best to lure tourists during Christmas and the New Year. The row of festive lights downtown is said to stretch even longer than usual.

I would have gone to Orchard Road to see the lights myself if my family had been here. But my wife is in Calcutta (Kolkata) with my son, who flew in on Wednesday from his college in America to spend his winter holidays with her. Alone, I didn't feel like going to town. Instead, I spoke to my wife and my son on the phone.

But I did expect to see some Christmas decorations at the heartlands mall. It's not as if no one's in a mood to celebrate. The train I caught home from work on Friday night was packed with shoppers and people who had been downtown to see the lights.

I hope to go to Orchard Road later today to see things for myself. But even if it flaunts its usual Christmas glitter, something must be wrong indeed when there's hardly any Christmas decoration at a heartlands mall which usually does dress up for the festive season. Has it given up trying because no matter what the papers say, the effort isn't worth it -- not attracting enough business even when the economy is reported to be booming?