Christmas shopping in Tehran is not as well known as elsewhere in the region considering the smaller number of Christians here, however, do not be put off, there are plenty of stores stocking must-have decorations.

The festive season in Tehran begins in early December with Armenian-owned shops importing a plethora of different goods and decorations to kit your home out to your heart’s content.

Many stores in Tehran now create window displays dedicated to Christmas, but there is one particular area in town which puts others to shame. That area is home to many of Tehran’s Christian Armenian minority and is called Mirza Shirazi St.

On Mirza Shirazi, just north of the petrol station, you cannot miss the number of stores preparing for Christmas with artificial plastic trees on display and fairy lights twinkling into the night.

Many stores on the street stock cards too, in both English and Armenian scripts, so don’t panic if you haven’t got your cards to pass to colleagues and friends yet before 2018 is here.

Other stores stock some of the most significant selection of European chocolates. Brands such as Lindt, Cadbury’s and Kinder are available – but be prepared for high prices for these products.

Just on the other side of Haft e-Tir Square is another concentration of Armenian-owned stores stocking decorations and foodstuffs. That street called Bahar has several shops selling all sorts of festive items. There is even one butcher towards across from Bank Pasargad who will prepare a full Turkey if you give them advanced notice.

According to our Armenian colleagues, St Sarkis Church on Karim Khan is usually your best bet in the city for real Christmas trees, and they sell them towards the door of the church in the run-up to the Eastern Orthodox Christmas on January 5.

The mall scene

Tehran is the city with the most significant concentrations of shopping centres in Asia, but if you an excellent in the north of the town, you will be hard-pressed to find many stores stocking Christmas decoration to take home.

One of the most internationally recognised malls in Tehran is Palladium on Moqadas Ardabili Street in Tehran’s Mahmoodieh district. The shopping centre is home to several stores catering for both local and international budgets, and some will be sure to stock some Christmas decorations. The One, a global home furnishing store will also stock specific winter-themed decorations. You can find that shop on the left of the entrance of Palladium.

Other malls in the city will also have On shops with Christmas and New Year decorations and gifts, but it is a hit and miss.

East Tehran

There are also other concentrations of Armenian stores in other parts of the city, names like Narmak, Majidieh and Zarkesh are also significant areas to pick up festive items.

Grand Bazaar

Other areas in Tehran where you can purchase winter decorations and wrapping paper en masse are the Grand Bazaar. We discovered that wholesalers of wrapping paper just after the kids’ toy section are your best bet for low-cost wrapping paper.

Like previously mentioned, if it’s toys you’re after, the Children’s Bazaar within the Grand Bazaar is an ideal spot to buy presents for the kids, with plenty of brands and soft toys for sale. Unfortunately, because the bazaar is like a rabbit warren, we can only say enter from the passages after the entry to Imam Mosque on 15 Khordad st.

Don’t Forget!

Interested to know where to take the kids to Tehran during the winter break, how about a trip to Lilliput Dreamland!