Christmas will be celebrated in many countries around the world this weekend. While it isn't a traditional holiday in Chin, many expats as well as locals are getting into a festive spirit. If you want to avoid the crowds at the Swedish mega store IKEA, there are a few places around town where you can pick up either an artificial plastic tree or the real deal. As our Martina Fuchs reports, real and artificial Christmas trees are flying off the shelves in Beijing.

More and more Beijingers believe all you need for Christmas is a tree. Real or fake. Both foreigners and increasingly locals are heading to the Liangma Flower Market this time of the year to shop for trees.

Pine tree merchants run the show all the way from the entrance. All shapes and sizes are available here. Their impressive inventories contain Chinese and American pine trees.

Chinese pines start as low as 130 yuan for a one-metre tree and max out at 1500 yuan for a 4-metre mighty tall one. Delivery is for free.

If you're after a plastic version to put on your office desk, there is plenty of choice for smaller and already decorated trees, at runaway prices too.

"And of course, a Christmas tree is not complete without the decorations. Small baubles sold here start at 1 yuan a piece, and climb up to 25 yuan for larger ones. Snow globes are also in high demand."

This shop also boasts mini Christmas carols, Santa Claus figures, tree ornaments, lights, snowflakes, and much more.

Christmas and New Year has turned into a peak shopping season in China just like in the West. Department stores and shopping malls launch promotions and prolong business hours starting in the middle to end of November.

The shopping frenzy has also moved online.

"A lot of Chinese are now taking Christmas as an e-commerce shopping opportunity. On the one hand, they buy computers, mobile phones, a lot of hot products. But on the other hand, they also buy a lot of traditional products such as Christmas trees and lights," said IDC's associate vice president Antonio Wang.

Hotels, malls, restaurants and banks across the Chinese capital are also twinkling in Christmas displays and lights.

Although Christmas will likely be more grey rather than white in Beijing this year because of the heavy smog, a tree might add a little color and glitter for people celebrating here.