Santa hats, beards and tinsel: Christmas trade on African streets
Joseph Muli, a street vendor, wears a plastic Santa Claus mask as he peddles Christmas merchandise to motorists in Ngara district near the Globe cinema roundabout of Nairobi, Kenya December 19, 2018. REUTERS/Thomas Mukoya
(Reuters) - With Christmas fast approaching, African shoppers are snapping up festive decorations to add some sparkle to the holiday season.
Reuters photographers took the streets of cities across the continent to capture traders and hawkers selling everything from Santa hats and fake beards to colorful tinsel and shiny tree baubles.In Nairobi, Joseph Muli said trees and inflatable Santas were his best-selling items.
In mainly-Muslim Dakar and in Abuja - whose population is split roughly evenly between Christians and Muslims - vendors Pap Modoo and Eko Onyewuchi both said they sold a lot of festive hats.
Joseph Muli, a street vendor, peddles Christmas merchandise to motorists in Ngara district near the Globe cinema roundabout of Nairobi, Kenya December 19, 2018. REUTERS/Thomas Mukoya
"Christmas is very important in my country," said Abidjan street vendor Kone Aicha. "People like to celebrate and they buy lot of goods even if the prices are high."
Like others she bought her stock locally - from Chinese merchants.
Street vendor, Kone Aicha, 27, wearing Santa Claus hat and beard sells Christmas items in Adjame neighbourhood in Abidjan, Ivory Coast December 18, 2018. REUTERS/Luc GnagoPatrick Ngatia, a street merchant, wears a plastic Santa Claus mask as he prepares to peddle Christmas commodities to motorists along Kipande road near the central business district of Nairobi, Kenya December 19, 2018. REUTERS/Njeri Mwangi
(Reporting by Luc Gnago, Zohra Bensemra, Thomas Mukoya and Afolabi Sotunde; Writing by Marie-Louise Gumuchian; editing by John Stonestreet)
Patrick Ngatia, a street merchant, prepares to peddle Christmas commodities to motorists along Kipande road near the central business district of Nairobi, Kenya December 19, 2018. Picture taken December 19, 2018. REUTERS/Njeri MwangiStreet vendor, Nike Mawa, 20, dressed as Santa Claus, sells Christmas items in Adjame neighbourhood in Abidjan, Ivory Coast December 18, 2018. Picture taken December 18, 2018. REUTERS/Luc GnagoStreet vendor, Eko Onyewuchi, 35, sells Christmas items displayed on a car in Abuja, Nigeria December 16, 2018. Picture taken December 16, 2018. REUTERS/Afolabi SotundePatrick Ngatia, a street merchant, wears a plastic Santa Claus mask as he prepares to peddle Christmas commodities to motorists along Kipande road near the central business district of Nairobi, Kenya December 19, 2018. Picture taken December 19, 2018. REUTERS/Njeri MwangiMarcelin Sie, 18, wearing a Santa Claus hat, sells children's bicycles along a street in Koumassi, in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, December 19, 2018. Picture taken December 19, 2018. REUTERS/Thierry GouegnonStreet vendor, Fatim Kone, 25, wears Santa Claus' hat while selling Christmas items in Williamsville area of Abidjan, Ivory Coast December 18, 2018. Picture taken December 18, 2018. REUTERS/Luc Gnago
Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
