SINGAPORE - It was Christmas just days ago, but some businesses are wasting little time in going full swing into Chinese New Year (CNY) sales.

These include Takashimaya Department Store, whose annual CNY fair returns on Sunday (Dec 29) at its basement two event square. The fair - with 67 local and international vendors - runs till Jan 23.

Expect big names such as Hong Kong's Hang Heung bakery, known for its traditional wife cakes; and Fukuoka's famed Ichiran ramen - which will retail its instant tonkotsu ramen packs from Jan 8 to 19. Other homegrown brands selling festive treats include Home's Favourite, HarriAnns, and Mdm Ling Bakery.

The Clementi Mall, meanwhile, will hold a CNY fair from Jan 6 to 23 at its Level 3 event square.

This year, Christmas Day and the first day of CNY are only a month apart, with the latter falling on Jan 25.

Across the island, pasar malams and shops, including bakeries such as PrimaDeli and The Pine Garden, have also started selling festive goods for the Year of the Rat.

Over in Chinatown, the official light-up takes place on Jan 4 and runs till Feb 22. It will feature about 188 lanterns of rat figures in traditional Chinese costumes lining the main streets, as well as a 10m-tall lantern sculpture of a Golden Rat.

Chinatown's festive street bazaar will run from Jan 3 to 24.

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