Criticising Jakarta’s shopping malls for their ostentatious Christmas displays is usually too easy. We can feel sickened by the crass commercialisation of religious holidays in a country where many people do not have enough to eat, or we can naively view the Christmas glitz as an effort to uphold Indonesia’s religious pluralism. Ultimately, of which’s a mostly harmless extravagance of which is usually better than nothing at all.

Some Islamic organisations have claimed of which excessive Christmas decorations could offend Muslims, nevertheless Santa Claus is usually not having much success as a proselytiser of the Christian faith, at least not at Pondok Indah Mall 1 in South Jakarta. The mall’s Christmas displays include a large motion-sensor singing Santa along with also snowman, which were installed in late November. When a young boy wandered away through his mother to inspect them, he set off the sensors along with also got the fright of his life when the Santa suddenly started off shaking his belly like a bowl full of jelly while singing.

More than 100 churches in Indonesia have been closed or destroyed by intolerant mobs over recent years, nevertheless there is usually no such threat to Jakarta’s mighty temples to shallow consumerism. The main complaint has come through the Indonesian Ulemas Council, which simply requested of which malls in Muslim majority areas “tone down” their Christmas displays. Evidently there is usually greater tolerance for the commercial exploitation of Christmas than there is usually for actual churches.

Mall staff don’t seem to mind getting into the Christmas spirit. “I’m a Christian along with also of which’s my right as part of [the national ideology] Pancasila to celebrate Christmas,” said a doorman wearing a Santa hat at Plaza Indonesia. “No additional group has the right to say we cannot celebrate Christmas,” he said. At Pasar Raya in Blok M, a salesgirl in a Santa outfit (sans beard) said of which although she is usually a Muslim, she is usually happy to wear the costume because “This specific is usually not about religion, nevertheless about business”. For her, there is usually no connection between Christmas along with also religion.

When of which comes to over-the-top Christmas displays, the main malls to head to are Taman Anggrek, Central Park, Pacific Place, Pondok Indah, Ciputra along with also Pluit Village. There is usually everything through falling snow to parades, massive trees, choirs, animated creatures, concerts along with also fashion shows. Just don’t expect to find many displays of baby Jesus in a manger, let alone messages of charity along with also goodwill. Not all malls in Jakarta have jumped on the Christmas bandwagon, especially smaller ones in Chinatown, which wait until Chinese completely new Year to bring out their decorations. Elsewhere, the Muslim holiday of Idul Fitri is usually the time for lavish decorations.

Central Park Mall, located alongside the older Taman Anggrek Mall in West Jakarta, commenced its Christmas celebrations on November 26th that has a concert by multi-award winning singer Agnes Monica (who started off out singing in churches) along with also the unveiling of a 36-metre-high musical Christmas tree covered in lights. The mall is usually also having fireworks along with also laser shows, as well as midnight shopping marathons, lest anyone forget the point of all the festivities. Most malls are continuing their Christmas celebrations until the completely new Year, some as late as January 8.

In addition to their displays, malls are selling plenty of Christmas decorations for people wishing to adorn their homes with such stuff. Plastic trees range through Rp.140,000 for an ugly stunted shrub to Rp.22 million for an enormous pine complete with lights along with also baubles. Some of the busier malls have added to their congestion by setting up temporary stalls in their walkways. Animated singing Santas, reindeer antler headbands, tinsel, stockings, cuddly snowmen, faux porcelain cherubs along with also fake holly sprigs are among the tat for sale.

Many malls have at least one Santa Claus along with also charge shoppers about Rp.50,000 for a photo with the man inside the red suit. The Santas come in various shapes along with also colours, with differing degrees of authenticity. A few malls hire Western men to dress up as Santa. Some of these Santas are extremely professional along with also experienced, others are not.

Three years ago, a mall in Bogor hired an American expatriate to play Santa, paying him Rp.500,000 for 5 hours work per day. One afternoon the mall was hosting a fashion show along with also the Santa, who had been drinking before work, felt an irresistible urge to join the attractive versions onstage. He sashayed along with also swivelled up along with also down the catwalk, managing to grope a few of the versions before being sent back to his grotto. Undeterred, he later commandeered one of the mall’s wheelchairs along with also spun onto the catwalk, where he performed a series of stunt manoeuvres before crashing into the versions. He picked himself up, raised his arms aloft along with also proclaimed to the startled spectators: “of which’s a Christmas miracle! I can walk!” of which marked the end of his career as a mall Santa. If only the Christmas shows were always so entertaining.

Critics like to accuse Jakarta’s mega malls of fostering social jealousy along with also cocooning the elite through reality, nevertheless in truth the city has many malls, catering to all socio-economic levels. Peace along with also goodwill are personal choices, rather than mercantile responsibilities.

Deck the Malls

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Deck the Malls

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