Spending December on a Hindu island in the tropics sounds about as far from a white Christmas as it gets — yet Bali goes surprisingly all-in on the festive season. Villa owners, expats and hotels deck their halls every year, and the island has built up a proper retail scene for it, from artificial firs at the big-box homeware stores to real Canadian trees delivered to Canggu.
If you want a tree, Azko is the workhorse option. The home goods chain stocks artificial trees from a 45cm desktop number up to a 270cm showstopper — green, snowy white, or pre-lit — priced from about IDR 329,900 to nearly IDR 18 million for the giants. The Living World branch in Denpasar is a solid bet, open daily 10am to 10pm. IKEA Bali in Kuta runs its Scandinavian-flavoured VINTERFINT range each season, with trees from 15cm to 180cm and a cheaper price band of IDR 199,000 to 999,000, plus baubles and lighting designed to mix and match.
The wildcard is Landau Studio, Irina Landau's flower studio in Berawa, Canggu, which imports real noble fir trees from Canada — up to 330cm tall — along with fresh wreaths and festive bouquets. They're popular, so pre-ordering is the smart move.
For decorations, Bali Christmas Shop in Canggu is a seasonal one-stop shop (it opens from 15 November) with trees, garlands, wreaths and, yes, a full velvet Santa costume, plus island-wide delivery. Balizen in Ubud is the artisanal counterpoint: hand-carved wooden ornaments, rattan stars and angels made from bamboo and rattan — a Bali-twisted take on festive decor, with a factory outlet upstairs from the boutique. Flying Tiger Copenhagen, especially the branch in ICON Bali in Sanur, covers the cheap-and-cheerful end: seasonal decorations, wrapping paper, stockings-fillers and cards.
Speaking of cards, Paperclip in Canggu does everything from classic designs to quirky Bali-themed ones, while bookstore chain Gramedia (Mall Bali Galeria branch is a good pick) sells them in bulk alongside wrapping paper and gifts. Cove Island Essentials, with shops in Canggu, Pecatu and Seseh, is the design-led option for more limited-edition festive paper goods.
One more route: the weekend markets. La Brisa in Canggu and Hatch in Uluwatu both run Christmas-themed pop-ups each year, and Ubud Art Market operates daily year-round — a good place to find handmade candles, macramé ornaments and one-off decorations while grazing on festive treats from local stalls.
Practical notes if you're furnishing a villa over the holidays: most stores stock up from late October with full displays by mid-November; lights and fairy strings are easy to find at Azko, IKEA, Mr. DIY or any local electrical shop; and most boutiques will ship fragile pieces like carved wood or ceramics overseas if you want to take the tropical Christmas home with you.
Whether you're an expat decorating for the season or a traveller staying a few weeks over December, there's no shortage of ways to make paradise feel merry and bright. Thanks to Honeycombers Bali for the original roundup.
