The New Year's shopping season kicked off with gusto on Dec 22 at the Zhenru UniPark MAX commercial complex, situated in the Putuo district of East China's Shanghai and will run through Feb 16.

Representatives from major commercial centers and landmarks took to the stage there to unveil their themed marketing activities for the New Year.

The Bailian Group – taking the spotlight – introduced its STAR WALK initiative to welcome in the new season. It features exclusive perks for its members, artistic installations and collaborations with young avant-garde artists.

Another highlight was the renowned Yuyuan Garden – the classic Chinese garden in the Old City, that is one of Shanghai's must-see tourist spots – which added excitement with a Dragon-themed block and a giant DooDoo Dragon New Year's gift pop-up shop.

In addition, various business districts, leveraging digital technology, are creating multi-dimensional consumer experiences. These will combine online and onsite channels to offer customers a novel and engaging shopping spree.

What's more, Chinese food delivery giant Meituan joined in the celebrations, distributing 50,000 lucky banquets to local users and issuing over 10 million yuan ($1.4 million) in dining coupons, adding a delectable touch to the festive season.