With Christmas around the corner, Indian cities soak in the festive cheer

Shopkeepers across the country have stocked up ahead of the festival.

With only a few days left for Christmas, a mother and her child shop for the festival in Chennai. (EPS | Ashwin Prasath) 

Kozhikode shops are busy with Christmas sales. A woman selecting Christmas star at a shop in the city. (EPS | A Sanesh)

Road side sellers have all geared up with new collection of Santa Claus masks. A man displaying Santa Claus mask at Eranjippalam in Kozhikode. (EPS | TP Sooraj)

Children dress up as little Santa Claus and angel at the Super Santa contest organised ahead of Christmas in Visakhapatnam. (Photo | EPS)

Jesus crib set made of poly marbles kept for sale in a shop at Puliyangulam at Coimbatore. (EPS| S Senbagapandiyan)

Children enthusiastically looking over to buy stars at a shop in Madurai. (EPS| P KK Sundar)

A baby girl dressed up as a girl Santa in a shop at Puliyangulam at Coimbatore. (EPS| S Senbagapandiyan)

People rush to the stores to buy Christmas stars and festoons in Broadway, Chennai ahead of Christmas. (EPS | Ashwin Prasath)

A church illuminated with fairy lights ahead of Christmas at Choolaimedu in Chennai. (EPS | P P Jawahar)