It appears the days children from average homes look up to the Yuletide season as a period they get new clothes, mostly ready-made ones, which distinguish them from the less privileged ones, are gone.
Today, the line between the rich, average and even poor homes is out.
The present economic condition has levelled levels. Many families today, struggle to feed, pay rents, medical care and school fees. So, the thought of buying expensive Christmas clothes for children is a suicidal luxury.
Economy&Lifestyle discovered that many parents have resolved to go for fairly used clothes, popularly known as Okirikia or bend-down- select, in some instances.
Mrs. Anyanwu Bridget, a teacher said: “The price of buying even the cheapest ready made gown is now N30,000 as against N5,000 or at most N7000 before.
“I have three girls and a boy. Buying three gowns means I have to have nothing less than N90,000 or more which will cover two children’s school fees in a term.
“A boy’s shirt and jeans trousers are well above N25,000.
“Meanwhile, these costs are without the prices of shoes. So, I just decided to get six yards of beautiful ankara materials that I will give to a very good tailor.
“They will use their old shoes to match. Christmas is just for a day. With such a plan, I have budgeted N20,000. This amount will do a lot of magic.”
Anyanwu’s plan was different from Mrs. Agbogun Olaide’s plan for her children’s Christmas wears.
According to Olaide, she has visited the Okrika (fairly used) clothes market and bought first grade shirts and trousers for her two boys.
“If you have visited the children’s wear market recently, you will know that this economy is not smiling at all.
“Those of us women who usually buy two to three clothes with matching shoes for our children to wear during Christmas have disappeared.
“Anyone you see in the market buying expensive children’s clothes now is well to do.
“I have to cut my coat according to my cloth.
“Last year, I bought ready made clothes for my boys but this year I had to talk to myself and get them first grade fairly used clothes.
“They are expensive too but have lesser prices when compared to ready made.
“A shirt was N3,000 and trousers N5,000.
“Their shoes were N8,000 each.
“I spent N32,000 for both of them.
“If I hadn’t cut costs that way, I would have coughed out N100,000 to buy clothes for my sons.”
Recall that years back, parents purchased two pairs of clothes for their children to celebrate the Yuletide season.
One is worn on Christmas day and the other on the first day of the new year.
Such practice has been overshadowed by the continuous increase in the prices of goods and services in the market.
Economy&Lifestyle’s visit to the market revealed that many sellers of children ready made wears were experiencing low patronage.
Mrs. Sherifatu Hamzat, a children’s wear trader, said: “This year is terrible. I have never experienced such low patronage during the Yuletide season.
“Parents are not even looking at buying readymade clothes for their children.
“Many just come, check the prices and walk away lamenting on the price.
“It is not our fault but the present foreign exchange rate which has affected the cost of importing these clothes.
“By this time, the market is booming with parents shopping for Christmas clothes for their children.
“Let’s hope to see a positive change in the remaining weeks to Christmas.”