Christmas sales lose their sparkle in Beijing

While many people in China got ready to celebrate Christmas Eve on Wednesday, decoration sellers said they had found it hard to enjoy the festive atmosphere after noticing a serious slump in business, which many blamed on the ongoing anti-corruption campaign.

At Laitai Flower Market in Beijing, for instance, store holders said they had just started to enjoy significant rises in sales in recent years, as the popularity of Christmas - not traditionally a popular festival in China - grew among young people particularly.

The government's crackdown on corruption, however, has meant a marked fall this year in sales of gifts and decorations, owners said.