Maudey Khalisha, Jakarta – Orders 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 late
"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.
To cope with the compressed festive calendar, Riesta said preparation and early marketing had become critical. About 80 percent of Party Buddies' orders now come through online channels, driven largely by social media catalogs and digital promotions, even as its physical store continues to attract walk-in customers.
"Our strategy is to prepare designs and product catalogs early, especially on social media, so customers can plan in advance," she said.
The approach mirrors broader retail strategies during Indonesia's peak festive stretch, Indonesia Retail and Tenants Association (Hippindo) chairman Budihardjo Iduansjah said to the Post on Wednesday, as retailers have intensified store redesigns, thematic catalogs and promotional campaigns to capture overlapping festive demand.
He said the positive retail performance seen during the year-end holidays had carried through into Lunar New Year and was expected to extend toward Idul Fitri, with festive-driven sales momentum likely to last through April.
Shifting consumer habits
While corporate demand has been stronger, personal and family spending has weakened, with customers opting for hampers over large decorative displays, Riesta said, marking a shift from previous years when personal orders were more prominent.
That cautious tone was also felt by Priscilla, who runs a Bandung-based Chinese snack family business established in 1965 that produces traditional Lunar New Year treats such as mooncakes and nian gao, known as kue keranjang (basket cakes) in Indonesia, which are commonly served as refreshments for family open houses and given as gifts to relatives.
Despite the Lunar New Year's cultural importance, she said foot traffic and early sales had been softer than in previous years, which she attributed partly to changing lifestyles and traditions.
"People are busier now and many only prepare things close to the day. Also, fewer families still practice ancestral worship rituals, so early shopping isn't as common as before. Family sizes are also smaller now, which naturally changes consumption," she told the Post on Thursday, adding that demand started to rise closer to the Lunar New Year on Feb. 17.
Similar concerns were echoed by kue keranjang sellers across several regions, with vendors in Glodok's Chinatown area in West Jakarta, as well as parts of West and Central Java reporting softer sales compared to previous years.
Economic conditions and the unusually tight festive calendar have also weighed on spending sentiment, according to Priscilla, prompting her to diversify beyond seasonal demand. In the past few years, her business has expanded into halal-certified snacks and vegetarian versions of traditional Chinese pastries, allowing its products to reach a broader market, particularly ahead of Ramadan.
"Since we registered for halal certification, many customers buy our products not just for Imlek, but to stock up for Ramadan or as hampers for friends and office sharing," she said.
In an effort to boost small business activity, the government has pledged to amplify festivals related to the Lunar New Year.
Deputy Creative Economy Minister Irene Umar, who also chairs the National Chinese New Year Committee, said in a statement on Jan. 28 that the administration would support culinary, arts and creative festivals involving small and medium enterprises across the country. She added that the coincidence of Chinese New Year and Ramadan this year presents an opportunity to encourage mutual respect and sharing while generating direct economic impact for small businesses.