Waxing Up Xmas: Yogyakarta, Central Java, Indonesia

By Barrie | December 23rd, 2006 | No Comments

It’s the time of the year for good cheer and happiness, and, although not celebrated in Indonesia to the extent that it is in western countries, I have always found Xmas in Yogyakarta to be a fabulous time.

Of course Xmas wouldn’t be the same without candles as part of the celebrations and decorations. But, as Slamet Susanto found out there is one businessman in Yogyakarta making good money out of the festive season.

Christmas greetings with colorful candle craft
Slamet Susanto, Yogyakarta

While in the West candles are a common form of decoration, it was not until recently that they were seen in Indonesia as anything other than religious equipment or a blackout light source. But a Yogyakarta businessman has tapped into the gift and ornament market.

“When I started my candle craft business in 1999, I realized at the time that candles only functioned as a light source,” Andi said at his modest showroom along the Code River.

The candles made out of paraffin wax are produced in a variety of designs. Andi sells decorative candles, birthday gifts, souvenirs and Christmas tree ornaments in sizes ranging from 30 centimeters to a meter in length, and priced from Rp 50,000 (US$5.50) to millions of rupiah.

“Sales usually surge 20 percent ahead of Christmas and New Year’s. The candles sold at Kado Kita, the largest gift shop in the city, rank the highest in terms of sales,” said Andi.

“Everything is made of wax. The only difference is the shapes and designs meet market demands. We produce Christmas ornaments for Christmas and colorful candles for Valentine’s Day,” said Andi.

Sales were poor in the business’s early years but Andi refused to give in. He continued to manufacture the candles and conducted workshops in several villages in a bid to teach the craft.

He has also set up a web site to promote the company internationally.

“The response is amazing because the Europeans are familiar with candle craft as they use it for various purposes, especially for home decoration,” he said.

People from France and Spain have placed custom orders with Andi, which he exports through Singapore.

“Many Indonesians who buy (the candles) as souvenirs in Singapore for their friends at home like to tell them they were made in France, when really they are being made along the Code River,” he said.

In one week he can use up to 100 kilograms of paraffin wax and sell a container-load of products made by the 300 craftspeople he employs.

Purchase orders usually increase ahead of seasonal celebrations like Valentine’s Day, Christmas or Thanksgiving, with orders being placed three months beforehand.

“I can’t get enough sleep as Christmas advances as we always work into the night due to the surge in orders. We sometimes have to turn (customers) down because they are too late in placing their orders,” said Gandung, one of Andi’s candle makers, who lives in Kota Gede.

The business is at the mercy of the country’s uncertain social and political state. Exports declined in 2003 after the Bali bombing in 2002.

“Getting just two orders in a month is good now. But previously we sent out orders almost every day,” said Andi.

He said another problem they faced was the restrictions surrounding paraffin.

“We could buy 100 kg of paraffin a day before 2003, but now we’re limited to 150 kg a week,” he said.

“We’re only serving the local market now,” said Gandung. “But it’s not bad, because we can earn between Rp 30,000 and Rp 60,000 a day to support our families.”

Slamet Susanto