As the fifth wave of Covid-19 hits France and the fatigue of winter is more and more felt, the end of the year celebrations will put a little balm in the hearts. Whether you spend them alone, with family or friends, a companion is probably already in the living room (unless it’s in your to-do-list for the weekend): the Christmas tree.
According to a YouGov * study published in early December, 66% of French people decorate their homes with it for Christmas Eve. But how do they choose it? Do they want a giant tree? An eco-friendly formula? The first price ? 20 minutes asked them the question.
“He touches the ceiling”
“With us, the tree is not a very small one. This year, it exceeds 2 meters ”, proudly announces Julie. For this mother of a family, it is therefore the “wow” effect that takes precedence. “It is important for us to have the most beautiful of trees and to see the eyes of children and parents that sparkle”.
An idea shared by Sarah: “We always take the largest and most provided”, she assures. Jessica also has the madness of grandeur: “I take a tree of 3 meters, which touches the ceiling”. But for others, no need for a stepladder to go and place a star at the top: “(I take it) between 1.20 and 1.50 meters, so that the children can decorate it”, Sylvie confides to us. Ditto for Claudine, who favors a tree “not too big but well supplied”.
“Nothing beats a tree that perfumes the living room! “
So much for the size. What about the guy? Also according to the YouGov survey, 44% of French people have an artificial tree. Some even for decades, like Catherine, who has “recovered the family tree” since 1964. But a quarter of respondents prefer to have a “real” one. “We buy a Nordmann because a spruce top will lose its thorns,” says Sarah. Thorns, Pauline gets used to them. The reason ? “Nordmann has no smell”. Mylène would not do without these scents for anything in the world. “Nothing beats a tree that perfumes the living room,” she said, “and too bad for the falling thorns! “
And then there are the converted or reconverted. Jérôme changed sides after having had an artificial tree for “almost twenty years”. And Catherine got rid of her plastic tree after ten years of loyal service, to buy a real one that smells good.
“Our wooden tree has been adopted by all”
Others want a (really) green Christmas. What makes Sylvie and her children ‘s eyes sparkle is therefore the “Do Your Christmas Tree Yourself”, the homemade Christmas tree. Pauline has also opted for an ecological version, disturbed by “the idea of cutting a living tree to make it” die “in a house or an apartment and end up throwing it away”. His family went to a recycled wooden tree: “The first year our children were a little disappointed not to have a ‘green tree that smells of pine’, but now our wooden tree has been adopted by all. Not to mention the savings that this allows us to achieve each year! “
“I do not look at the price”
Because who says Christmas tree says expenses. Some, like Jessica, are no limit. “I do not look at its price, Christmas is the time of year when you can have fun without too much guilt”, she assumes. Jérôme, he goes to supermarkets and jumps on good opportunities. “I take advantage of it when it is 25 euros and we receive a voucher in exchange.”
Mylène has a “maximum budget of 35 euros”, while that of Marion is between 30 and 50 euros. The young woman is reluctant to “buy a paper or wooden tree”. History to bring it out again next year.
* Study carried out from November 30 to December 1, 2021 among 1,017 people representative of the French national population aged 18 and over, according to the quota method.