Cecilia Liang鈥檚 Lunar New Year decoration stall has been an annual fixture in the Yaohan Centre in Richmond, B.C., for 25 years 鈥� but she knew some products would be a tough sell this year.
With the Year of the Snake dawning on Wednesday, Liang and other decoration vendors say sales have slithered downward.
鈥淢any people think snakes look scary,鈥� she explained in Mandarin.
Lunar New Year designs often feature cute depictions of the year鈥檚 Chinese zodiac animal. But making a snake cute is a challenge, resulting an array of biologically inaccurate renderings.
There are snakes with long eyelashes, dewy anime-wide eyes, and even snakes with hands, all the better for waving out a friendly greeting.
鈥淎mong all the Chinese zodiac, selling snake-related craftsmanship is one of the most difficult,鈥� said Liang, who added that the most difficult was the Year of the Rat.
Her two-week pop-up stall is crammed with festive red and gold offerings 鈥� stuffed toy snakes, wall hangings, plastic wind spinners, red pockets, door couplets featuring wishes for the new year, and god of fortune statues.
鈥淪ome parents would say, aiya (a Cantonese exclamation of dismay), I will not take snakes home,鈥� said Liang, 鈥淏ut I will tell them 鈥� these snakes aren鈥檛 even real, and you don鈥檛 need to be scared.鈥�
Yu Xiaopeng was waiting in line to pay for a $5 stuffed snake toy.
鈥淚 feel it looks pretty cute,鈥� said Yu in Mandarin. 鈥淚 want to give it to my nine-year-old daughter as a gift. It has been a family tradition for me to give a toy that represents different Chinese zodiacs to my daughter each year.鈥�
Still, Liang knows that some customers won鈥檛 be convinced.
鈥淚 have ordered the right amount of snake-themed products this year. My booth isn鈥檛 just limited to snake-themed products, you can also find traditional themed couplets as well,鈥� said Liang.
Carol Kang has had an annual Lunar New Year booth selling decorations in the nearby Aberdeen Centre for more than 10 years, and she鈥檚 also feeling a bite on sales.
鈥淚t鈥檚 hard for artists to design snake-related products. Many snake-themed decorations don鈥檛 even look like snakes,鈥� said Kang in Mandarin.
She said sales at her booth were down 50 per cent compared to the same time last year 鈥� a much-anticipated Year of the Dragon, always one of the zodiac favourites.
鈥淔or many people 鈥� unlike the Year of the Dragon 鈥� the Year of the Snake isn鈥檛 that a big year for them,鈥� said Kang.
She鈥檚 expecting a sales bump next year, the Year of the Horse.
Animal decoration sales may be down, but business still looked bustling at the Aberdeen Centre鈥檚 crowded Lunar New Year market, where vendors were also selling flowers, festive clothes and traditional crafts.
Back in Yaohan Centre, Liang said she found most clients were willing to spend, but not as much as in years past. She said the fluctuations in sales aren鈥檛 just due to the snakes, but also the economy in general.
Nevertheless, Liang said she loved the chance each year to connect with clients and rejoice with the community.
鈥淚 am grateful that clients are still willing to spend money at my booth. I don鈥檛 have high standards, I am happy as long as everyone gets what they want to decorate their homes to celebrate the Lunar New Year,鈥� said Liang.
鈥淭he happiness of life is not always about making tons of money, it鈥檚 about making our clients happy and that we stay healthy in the New Year.鈥�
