It happens routinely every year – once Christmas is over, the shiny baubles and tinsel strands in malls start making way for flashy red and gold couplets and “福” (luck) signs to signify the start of the Chinese New Year period. *Cue “dong dong dong qiang” music*
Instead of just admiring the festive displays at Chinatown, go one step further to invite extra huat to your home this Lunar New Year by decking it out with ready-made CNY decor – no time-consuming DIY-ing with red packets needed. Check these CNY decoration stores in Singapore:
CGS Party (Chin Giap Soon) is a lesser-known party shop quietly tucked away in KINEX. During regular periods, you’ll find their shelves stacked high with colourful kids’ knick knacks like beads, pinwheels, and bubbles. But come Chinese New Year, and their entire storefront will be shrouded in bright red from lanterns and hanging scrolls adorned with gold foil.
Image credit: CGS Party
Get couplet sets from $2.50, and dragon plushies from $3.80.
Address: 11 Tanjong Katong Road, #03-18 KINEX Shopping Mall, Singapore 437157
Opening hours: Mon-Sat 10.30am-7pm | Sun 11am-6pm
Contact: 6297 0075 | CGS Party (Chin Giap Soon) website
Image credit: @s__sglife via Instagram
If not Chinatown, where else would one make a beeline for CNY-related items?
Of course, traditional Chinese trinkets are available all year round here. But every year without fail, there’s usually a huge CNY bazaar in Chinatown in the People’s Park area (outside OG) with even more of such goodies.
Image adapted from: @sofortsogood via Instagram
Needless to say, the festivities are always in full swing here and you’ll be able to find all your ong lai lanterns, wall decor, dangling charms, and faux firecrackers at one go without any fuss.
Check out the CNY light-up too that features the year’s zodiac animal.
Image credit: MustShareNews
Besides decorations, you can look forward to pasar malam stalls selling Chinese New Year snacks, traditional and modern garb, house plants, and furniture.
Image credit: @skpsingapore via Instagram
You’re probably familiar with SKP if your mum used to put together goodie bags packs for your kindergarten classmates during your birthday. Other than their affordable range of balloons, confetti poppers, and small stationery items, they also have a sizable selection of couplet banners, good luck signs, and Chinese New year streamers to hang across your hallways.
SKP has more than 40 stores scattered throughout all regions of Singapore. But if you’d rather have the convenience of shopping online, SKP products are now available on Shopee and Lazada.
Full list of SKP locations
Image credit: Tampines 1
CUBE-i can be found in neighbourhood malls like Tampines 1, Hougang Mall, and AMK Hub. This party shop may be small, but has everything you need for any occasion packed in its little units.
You’ll find the usual party decor like large helium balloons for birthdays and proposals, as well as goodie bag supplies like stickers, party poppers, and small plushies. CUBE-i sells seasonal items for festive occasions like CNY, including wall hangings and angbaos.
Full list of CUBE-i locations
Image credit: @mingsingflowers via Instagram
Ming Sing Flowers specialises in artificial floral arrangements that look just like the real thing. These are especially great if you have a large house with plenty of space to fill, or are holding a big home gathering and want to impress.
Apart from evergreen floral arrangements, Ming Sing sells customisable wreaths to hang on your door to welcome visitors when they bai nian. You can choose from ready-made ones or visit their store at KINEX to create something better suited to your taste.
KINEX outlet
Address: 11 Tanjong Katong Road, #03-20/24 KINEX, Singapore 436950
Opening hours: Mon-Sat 10am-7.30pm (Closed on Sundays)
Contact: 6294 6389
Arab Street outlet
Address: 98 Arab Street, Singapore 199794
Opening hours: Mon-Sat 9.30am-6.30pm (Closed on Sundays)
Contact: 6293 9263 | Ming Sing Flowers website
Image credit: @daiso_singapore via Instagram
Daiso is a go-to for cheap craft supplies and simple but tasteful decorations for occasions like Halloween and Christmas. Being a Japanese chain, their Lunar New Year decorations come with a slight Japanese twist.
Image adapted from: @daiso_singapore via Instagram
Choose from varied stalks of artificial flowers like peonies, sakura, and chrysanthemums, or top your tables with manekineko (fortune cat) figurines and daruma dolls – a symbol of luck in Japanese culture.
With the recent price change, items at Daiso now start from $2.16 for smaller decorations such as stickers and banners. Decor like lanterns and wreaths cost $6.26.
Full list of Daiso locations
Chances are, your CNY decorations are haphazardly kept in a box once the celebrations are over. But Shevron has embroidered decorations you’d want hung up all year round. Their couplets (from $23.80), wall hangings (from $68), and Chinese lanterns ($188) are made of felt and covered in intricately embroidered birds, peonies, and lion dance motifs.
Image credit: Shevron
Even their angbaos are worth framing up if you’re lucky enough to get one. You get one of their Silk Embroidered Red Packets ($7.80 each) that feature timeless designs of a pineapple, fortune cat, and mandarin orange. The angbaos are big enough to fit a $100 note.
If you want to check out the quality of Shevron’s products, they have a pop-up booth at Takashimaya from now till 31st January 2024.
Contact: 9631 9832 | Shevron website
Available at Giant: zodiac-themed wall decor, mandarin orange bags, and fortune knots.
Trust a supermarket to have everything. If you’re short on time, simply pop by your nearest neighbourhood Fairprice, Cold Storage, or Giant to pick up a few affordable CNY essentials while you’re grabbing your groceries and last-minute pineapple tarts.
Pretty much every outlet will have the bits and bobs you’re looking for, though the larger ones in malls will probably have a wider selection that includes plants like potted bamboo and pussy willow.
Surprise your house guests this year by sprucing up your home with some vibrant Chinese New Year decor. It won’t take much time or effort to place a few fortune cat figurines around, or stick good luck signages on your walls. Best of all, these come at affordable prices and won’t eat too much into your angbao fund.
More CNY festive reads:
Cover image adapted from:
Originally published on 7th January 2020. Last updated by Raewyn Koh on 25th January 2024.
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