2016 Christmas: a season for brisk business

The ambiance is lived in the shops and markets across the country.

In shops downtown Yaounde for example, toys, clothes, shoes, chocolates and flowers are in greater demand and supply as these are the main items of high consumption at Christmas.

Hesitant children could be seen at shops, sulking at a denial to purchase their preferred toy, dress or shoe, meanwhile excited others wear a bright face, grateful for receiving just the gift they wanted for this Christmas.

Promotional sales are also rife. In a bid to either exhaust old stock or attract new customers, shop owners have cut the price of some of the items of high demand.

Away from these seasonal items, the prices of basic commodities seem to have remained stable thanks to the efforts of the Ministry of Trade to control inflation during this period.

Top amongst the commodities in high demand during this period are meat, fish and other foodstuffs bought in large quantities by most households to avoid last minute pressure.

At street corners, petty traders are on the offensive; No business is small business from the sale of toys to the parcelling of gifts.

It is also a peak period media organs most of whom have dropped prices to favour advertisers so that everyone gets a fair chance to advertise during the Christmas season; a season during which business seems to be at its best.