Shanghai's time-honored brands combined to launch a shopping festival at Yuyuan Garden Malls on Tuesday, to boost sales ahead of the New Year festival.

The New Year Gift Festival, blending traditional Chinese culture and innovative designs, runs through February 8, 2024, as the inaugural event of the city's New Year shopping festival.

The 52-day Year of the Dragon event coincides with the annual Yuyuan Garden Lantern Festival, which began last Friday in both Paris and Shanghai.

Marking its fourth year, the festival features creative activities for customers, a range of dragon-themed products, and immersive experiences at the malls.

The festival includes a "Good Fortune Dragon Dance" challenge, in which national and international brands offer shopping coupons and bonuses on more than 40 dragon-themed products.

Visitors to the malls can immerse themselves in a festive atmosphere, which integrates the garden's traditional lantern displays.

The trendsetting digital platform Dewu offers an online New Year's shopping section and an offline pop-up store at the malls. The initiative targets younger consumers, blending shopping with social engagement and focusing on trendy domestic products.

Yuyuan Garden boasts dozens of time-honored brands and some 30 UN-designated categories of intangible cultural heritage, including two national-level skills – the Spring Festival Lantern Fair, and the cooking skills of the Shanghai Classic Hotel.

New Year Gift Festival

Date: December 19 - February 8

Venue: Yuyuan Garden Malls

Address: 265 Fangbang Rd M.

Admission: Free (except February 10 - 25), 50 yuan (US$7) for adults and 30 yuan for children for the lantern fair

Public transport: Metro Line 14, Exit No. 7