Today is another happy day at Sam’s Club! The last time I visited was before Christmas to check out the autumn and winter new products. This time, as we step into the twelfth lunar month, I’m naturally here to help everyone look for New Year goods.
Honestly, I have a painful history when it comes to buying New Year goods. In previous years, I bought a famous brand of pre-packaged New Year’s Eve dinner from Hangzhou, which looked fancy but tasted terrible – practically untouched. I also tried purchasing snack gift packs online, only to miscalculate their size based on the pictures, resulting in spending money for something that barely had any quantity. Plus, New Year goods aren’t just about buying what you like to eat; for people from Wenzhou, practicality is woven into our DNA. Giving a large barrel of cooking oil as a gift is an example of the practicality I only came to understand as I grew up.
In short, it has been a hit-or-miss shopping experience. Although I have bought plenty of items before, I have faced quite a bit of disdain as well. After almost a year of reviewing at Sam’s, I’ve finally gotten wise. When it’s time to buy New Year goods, I absolutely must check out our Sam’s!
Sam’s products are known for their generous portions. Usually, in my small household, even buying just one item can feel like a lot. However, when placed in the context of celebrations for the New Year, especially in the atmosphere of visiting relatives and friends, wouldn’t bigger quantities be better?
So how should one purchase New Year goods? Come join me at Sam’s Club to investigate! Sam’s sure knows how to create a festive spirit!
Friends, recently visiting Sam’s Club, the festive atmosphere for the New Year is already thick in the air. You can hear various New Year-themed music and see rows upon rows of red, festive goods.
With such an ambiance, who could resist the subconscious suggestion that the new year ought to be vibrant and thriving? The number of people coming to grab New Year goods at Sam’s has skyrocketed. What usually seems like such a large shopping cart feels totally inadequate in front of so many seasonal goods; you can fill it to the brim.
For the New Year promotion, Sam’s has altered its display arrangements. This year marks the Year of the Dragon, and you can see dragon elements everywhere in the New Year products—red and vibrant, who would believe this supermarket originated in the U.S.? Its localization efforts have been impressive.
At the entrance of the supermarket, various New Year items dominate. First, you’re struck by their enormous sizes. The “Dragon Soaring Across the Seas” nut gift box (228 yuan/box/1.24kg) is truly majestic. It comes in a golden cylindrical package adorned with dragon designs, denoting its opulence. Inside, it’s separated into six jars which are convenient for snacking. It features a mix of five types of nuts, all roasted and not fried, making it a healthier choice.
Sam’s Club truly understands the Chinese people. During the New Year, nuts such as pistachios, walnuts, and macadamia nuts are staples on every household’s coffee table when visiting relatives. For gifts, you can choose the gift box at the entrance; for personal consumption, head to the shelf near the checkout area. The nuts there may not come in fancy packaging, but they are very affordable.
The “MM Zodiac Colorful Cookies” (98 yuan/portion) are a Sam’s self-branded product. The red packaging with dragon patterns looks traditional but surprisingly pairs well with Western chocolate. While the photo might not suggest it, this cookie pack is quite large, almost half a person tall, making you feel its presence when you hold it.
The chocolate is imported from Belgium and comes in combinations of milk, dark, and white chocolate. Each small box contains different types of chocolate cookies, making them perfect for afternoon tea during the Spring Festival.
The large “Treasure Pearl” (12g*20 lollipops) also caught my interest. The candy is Cola-flavored and noticeably more refreshing than other flavors. Even if you don’t eat it, just looking at such a large lollipop brings joy! It would certainly work well for bribing nieces and nephews.
Sour and sweet hawthorn snacks are also classic New Year treats. The “Aosai Treasure Hawthorn Gift Box” (99.9 yuan/1.107kg) includes six different styles of hawthorn presented in a little Minion treasure chest. While Sam’s price is a bit higher for hawthorn itself, the cute packaging makes it a lovely gift.
The importance of a massager is a need only weary adults can understand. I also tried out Sam’s “Oclean LINE FRIENDS Shoulder and Neck Massager” (299 yuan). It simulates hand massage techniques, providing enough pressure and working diligently. Among the massagers I’ve experienced, it’s one of the more serious ones. If you are looking for practical gifts during family visits, this is a good option.
Sam’s also has many building block products that balance practicality and aesthetics. If you’re spending the Spring Festival at home with nothing to do, assembling Lego together could also help bond with the kids at home. What’s more, the final result can serve as home decor, killing two birds with one stone. The “Non-Wilting Healing Succulent Building Block” (129 yuan) is perfect for someone like me who has a black thumb with plants.
The “Financial Freedom Building Block” (288 yuan) presents more of a challenge, featuring 2,100 pieces involving significant time investment. Its main body is a dragon boat, lavishly decorated with a lively New Year’s Eve dinner, along with many elements symbolizing prosperity, like gold ingots and treasure chests, creating an illusion of abundance once completed.
Not only do adults buy New Year goods, but Sam’s has also considered your furry friends at home. The “Zeze Crouching Dragon and Tiger Pet Bed” (129 yuan) and the “Zeze Family Joy Cat Climbing Frame” (349 yuan) are both visually appealing. Honestly, if there were a matching lazy chair, I would be tempted to buy that too.
During the New Year period, Sam’s has also opened a large section for clothing. Yes, Sam’s has thought of everything, even providing clothing for visits during the New Year celebrations!
The dragon-themed skirts and scarves are perfect for kids to wear at home during the festivities, presenting a real New Year vibe. Moreover, the quality of Sam’s clothing is reliable. I’ve personally checked it out, and the feel is comfortable.
The only area of the New Year goods that did not spark my interest was the various couplets and red envelopes. The 128 yuan dragon year spring couplet and the 59.8 yuan couplet with the “Fortune” characters are purchases I can’t bring myself to make, even if I were to bite the bullet.
All in all, I think Sam’s New Year goods section is very well thought out, with products ranging from nuts and candied fruits to cookies and snacks, covering all my New Year needs. Their large quantities and attractive packaging also make buying New Year goods here quite stress-free.
If you aren’t considering gifts and are just stocking your own supplies, Sam’s has plenty of good buys.
For beverages, while the traditional trio of orange juice, Sprite, and Coke might have worn thin, Sam’s offers many innovative choices. I noticed their focus on refreshing options, likely because large feasts tend to grease up one’s palate during the New Year. For instance, flavors like “Hawthorn Delight,” “Plentiful Plums,” and “Mango Burst” sound adorable and will surely taste delightful.
Moreover, fresh lime juice is still a classic option at Sam’s. Also, the “Watsons Special Duck’s Droppings Lemon Tea,” made from oolong tea with an unusual name, continues to be a bestseller.
In Sam’s snack aisle, there are many great options to investigate for New Year goods. Their large bags of snacks feel like pure joy. I can already envision how happy I would be, snuggling up with a giant bag of snacks while binge-watching my favorite shows!
I especially recommend the “MM Pumpkin Flavored Corn Chips” (58 yuan/454g) and “POPCORNERS Brown Sugar Corn Chips” (59.9 yuan/567g) as they are two varieties I love. The former is thinner and crunchier, while the latter is non-fried and puffs up wonderfully in texture.
The “Wasabi-Flavored Shrimp Chips” (29.8 yuan/240g) are a divisive snack; personally, I adore their fluffy texture which seems to dissolve in the mouth like clouds, though some find the wasabi too overpowering. Also, the “Black Truffle Ham Crackers” (Quinoa and Chia Seed Flavor, 39.9 yuan/1.16kg) and “Boom Boom Spicy Beef Jerky” (79.8 yuan/500g) are both incredibly tasty.
When it comes to baked goods, Sam’s excels in bread and cakes. They have set high standards for their baking products; Sam’s insists on using only animal butter, refraining from adding flavors to their baking mixes, and striving to replicate classic baking tastes authentically.
When buying baked goods, look for Sam’s private label, Member’s Mark. One of their operational principles is “for products lacking clear industry standards, Sam’s defines the standards and produces.” I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve bought MM Durian Layers, MM Original Mochi, and MM Classic Earl Grey Swiss Roll; you can take the plunge without reservation. Moreover, they’re perfect for sharing with family and relatives during the New Year without any pressure.
The “MM Durian Puffs” (79.9 yuan/16 pieces, with Malaysian Musang King durian filling) and “MM Matcha Rose Rolls” (68 yuan/2 rolls) are new flavors extending from classic categories, perfect for friends seeking to try something different.
Pre-made meals are not very essential during the New Year when most dining tables are set with a plethora of delicious dishes. However, if you want to showcase your cooking skills, Sam’s offers high-difficulty dishes like Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, Peking Duck, Pot-Braised Pork, and Braised Turtle, which can easily give the impression of putting together a feast effortlessly.
When shopping at Sam’s for New Year supplies, consider picking up some seasonings too, such as Thai Tom Yum soup base, sour beef seasoning, or Singapore-style spicy crab sauce to add fresh flavors to the family feast.
Aside from various food items, I noticed that the entrance of Sam’s Club displays potted orchids and kumquats, which add to the festive ambiance. The last time I saw such combinations was in a wet market. I can’t help but admire Sam’s localization ability again!
