The business of lighting up festive season

To understand how this booming market works, the BDLife stepped into one of Nairobi’s busiest lighting hubs.

At The Bazaar Plaza, in Nairobi city centre, Emmah Cherotich holds a remote control, switching through different lighting patterns on snowflake-shaped fairy lights.

Unlike the basic string lights her customers used to buy, these fancier versions, shaped like flowers, and crystal balls, show how Kenya's fairy light market has evolved.

"I enjoy the festive magic," Emmah says, having sold fairy lights for nine years.

A few streets away, Brian Masava, another seller is also preparing for the season’s rush. The time is 12:30 pm, and a showroom at Nairobi's ever-busy Tea Room sparkles with thousands of tiny lights.

Brian unwraps another roll of LED fairy lights, this one stretches 100 metres, and plugs it in for a potential customer. Warm white bulbs light up across his workspace.

"November onwards, business is good," Brian says, his phone buzzing with another delivery request.

Emmah notes that festive lighting is a business built on timing, planning, and understanding customer behaviour.

Her festive season starts in July, when she makes her orders from China. The lights arrive by ship in September, a 60-day journey that's much cheaper than flying them in.

"If you bring the goods by air, it's expensive because they charge per kilogramme. Sea is cheap because they charge by the space you use."

What Emmah imports for Sh100 would cost Sh350 from local wholesalers. That difference means she can compete on both quality and price. She prices her fairy lights between Sh1,800 and Sh850.

For fairy light sellers, certain dates and celebrations drive sales in waves.

"It starts at the end of October, the second week, especially for corporate clients, including restaurants, hotels, conservancies, bars, clubs," Emmah notes.

Diwali, celebrated around October 20, marks the first sales spike for Brian, who has been in the business for three years.

After Diwali, sales drop slightly before picking up again through November. The busiest period runs from mid-November through December 25, with a surprising second rush between December 24 and January 3.

"Between December 24 and January 3, when everyone has left, that's the time we really sell," Emmah says. "Because people decorate for Christmas and more on New Year. Especially clubs, restaurants, and lounges."

With demand flactuating sharply, stocking and marketing become high-stakes decisions. This season, Brian brought in about 200 pieces of various lights valued Sh42,000.

But he admits that advertising costs even more. He spends between Sh5,000 and Sh10,000 every week on social media ads during the busy season, reaching customers across Nairobi.

During the slow months from February to July, he might spend Sh5,000 and sell only one piece. He has spent about Sh250,000 on marketing over the past one year.

Emmah targets a different market. Her ads reach middle-class customers aged 25 to 45 in wealthy neighbourhoods like Kilimani, Lavington, and Runda.

"This one is a purely online business," she explains. Out of the 500 pieces she imported, she had sold about 200 by mid-November.

We usually target to sell the majority of the stock before December starts," Emmah says.

"Because we are almost closing our Christmas sales on December 12. The risk of keeping stock, if you don't sell before that, you lose money, and you can't sell next year."

Add-on services

Brian also offers installation services. His recent job was in a residential estate where the client bought 100 metres of strip lighting plus over 30 curtain lights.

His products range from Sh1,000 for basic 10-metre strings to Sh8,500 for 100-metre commercial lights.

Running an online business presents significant challenges. Last December, Brian lost Sh68,000 to a scammer when a customer ordered lights for delivery with payment on arrival.

The rider delivered the package to someone on the ground floor who claimed to be collecting for someone upstairs. When the rider went to the second floor for payment, the scammer had vanished with the lights.

Months later, the same scammer attempted the trick again, but this time, Brian worked with the police, leading to the scammer's arrest. Although the scammer went to prison, Brian never recovered his money.

Nontheless, he continues to offer pay-on-delivery options, knowing that many genuine customers prefer it.

While fairy lights brighten homes and businesses, fire pit heaters are transforming Kenya’s outdoor festive season.

In her warehouse in Embakasi, Elizabeth Warui stands surrounded by fire pit heaters in different designs, including sleek cylinders and elegant pyramids. She's fully stocked and ready for the season.

"This festive season we've seen steady demand for our premium fire pit gas heaters, but honestly not as high as past years," Eizabeth admits.

"The spike now is mainly because people are hosting more outdoors and spending more time with family."

Her premium fire pit heaters range between Sh60,000 and Sh75,000. But she also stocks more affordable options. Her pyramid heaters, bullet, mushroom, and cylindrical heaters range between Sh40,000 and Sh60,000.

"People love them because they have such sleek, modern looks," she explains about the premium range. "It gives you that bonfire feeling but without any smoke or mess because it uses clean gas. It's very beautiful and very elegant."

"Our pricing is mainly based on the materials used, the strength of the frame, the burner system, the finishing and the quality of the components. Clients are willing to spend more for premium or statement pieces during the festive season."

Her buyers are homeowners, restaurants and event planners.

"Everyone wants their outdoor spaces to feel cosy and inviting at night, especially when they are hosting family and friends," she says.

The heaters have also become unexpected gifts. "They make such a meaningful gift, especially for couples and new homeowners, because a heater completely transforms an outdoor space," Elizabeth says.

On Ngong Road, Delius Mwangi's story tells another side of the fire pit market: "Out of stock," he says simply, a sign of just how hot demand has become.

For fire pit sellers, the timeline is similar but driven by different needs. Elizabeth notes that while festive preparations contribute to sales, it's the outdoor lifestyle shift that's really driving the market.

"Fire pit heaters have become a big part of the Kenyan outdoor lifestyle," she observes. "There has been a rise in backyard improvements and restaurant outdoor upgrades, and people in general want to enjoy fresh air instead of sitting indoors."

She relies heavily on direct orders and repeat customers.

"Most Nairobi deliveries take between one and two hours," she says. "For clients outside Nairobi, including Kampala and Tanzania, we do next-day deliveries because we have to use a courier service."

During November, she runs promotional sales. "Right now, we have our Black November Sale running with up to 20 percent off on selected heaters."

She notes that safety is a constant conversation with her customers, especially during the party season.

"Place the heater on a stable and flat surface," she advises. "Keep it away from flammable items like curtains or plants, or paper decor. Make sure the gas cylinder is properly secured and the connections are tight."

She also emphasises vigilance during events. "Do not leave the heater unattended, especially during a party. And always leave a small, clear space around it because guests tend to move around a lot during events."

Unlike fairy lights, fire pit heaters require minimal customisation.

"We usually sell the heater exactly as it is because its beauty stands on its own and does not need any add-ons," Elizabeth explains.

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