Christmas tree alarm: 25,000 creepy crawlies in the cozy living room!

Christmas tree alarm: 25,000 creepy crawlies in the cozy living room!

In the festive period before Christmas, decorated with lights and glitter, Christmas trees conquer the hearts of Austrians and Germans. In Austria, around 2.4 million households put up a Christmas tree, the majority of which come from local forests - a full 85 percent! The Nordmann fir is the most popular specimen, accounting for a whopping 90 percent of the trees sold, while blue spruce and other species share the remaining shares. But be careful: these trees recruit up to 25,000 creepy crawlies to live an unwanted life as roommates in our living rooms, as experts from the Federal Forest Research Center warn. The idea of ​​an entire world of wildlife hiding in the branches could make even the most hardened nature lover shudder.

Fascinating figures about Christmas tree sales

The Germans are also enthusiastic; around 29.8 million Christmas trees change hands every year. This number remains constant over the years, and the Nordmann fir clearly leads the popularity statistics with a share of 80 percent. How allanswers.de reports, the preference for real trees is still great, although many people only buy them after the third Advent. A well-grown Nordmann fir costs around 40 to 54 euros this year, which is due to increased production costs that have recently arisen due to the corona pandemic.

The Christmas tradition of decorated trees has a long history and brings back memories of winter rites and family gatherings. But the trees have to be carefully cultivated all year round: many grow for up to 15 years before they reach Christmas tree status. Ensuring the beauty and health of these trees is a lengthy and costly task that poses particular challenges for the industry.