What are the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on the festive season and how will it influence our traditions in the years to come?
According to industry experts sustainability and a new sense of solidarity and responsibility will play an important role in future Christmas decorations and celebrations.
After being locked down in the past few months, people are focusing on what is essential―more time with the family, their hobbies, baking, cooking, making things, creative virtual interaction with one another to bridge the physical distance and improving the appearance of spaces within their own four walls.
According to Jaye Anna Mize, VP and creative director of home & interiors, Fashion Snoops, clearing out and reorganising, getting rid of unnecessary clutter, and keeping and rearranging things that individuals perceive to be precious instead, are some of the most popular activities in the lockdown phase.
In addition, personal interaction with family and friends will be very important this Christmas. “This personal interaction―both in family and business life―cannot be replaced online,” Mize says.
“We’ve learnt this from the crisis. It will be even nicer when we are eventually allowed to meet up again, surrounded by decorations in our own private homes and city centre shopping streets, which convey a feeling of wellbeing and a degree of normality and security.”
Fact is, Christmas will take place no matter what happens, adds Julia Uherek, group show director consumer goods, Messe Frankfurt.
Christmasworld exhibitor Helmut Schmidt echoes her words. “Christmas is celebrated within the family,” he says.
“Nothing will change in that respect. Christmas has survived a number of crises. This year, however, with the pandemic and restricted travel possibilities, we have a situation that’s never been experienced before. I’m sure though that the resurgent trend towards cocooning will give our sector a push.”
In particular, there will be a greater focus on outdoor decorations this year.
“For example, people will start decorating their houses much earlier this year, both outside and in. This will certainly change.”
Pascal Koeleman, co-founder, 2dezign believes that next Christmas will be celebrated in a more creative, intimate and personal way. This could include, for example, homemade decorations, old recycled decorations or a Christmas tree made from clay.
“It’s our task to give retailers and end consumers inspiration for atmospheric decorations that fit perfectly with the spirit of today,” he says.
“There’s no need for everything to be completely new, just newly combined and complemented with small details. Just as with cooking, when fine spices make all the difference.”
Christmasworld exhibitor Mart Haber says that customers are paying more attention to quality; they increasingly want to do without plastic and they question the concept of product packaging.
“Our shops are open and in this crisis situation, consumers are happy to spend money on their homes. We can see this clearly,” says Haber.
In addition, decorations that can be easily personalised are much in demand, for example Christmas tree baubles that can be decorated with individualised messages.
The fact that nature is being brought indoors with real Christmas trees, flowers and plants, and natural materials, fits in very well with the desire for reduced, but at the same time, higher-quality decorations. According to Koeleman, the demand for real Christmas trees is already more than 30 percent higher than last year.
Interest in natural and sustainable materials was already on the rise at Christmasworld 2020 and this trend will continue. The corona era appears to have triggered a more conscious way of living.
Whilst the new everyday life brings more digitisation with it, it also provides more space for all things that are emotional and haptic.
“The retreat into the private sphere, sustainability, recycling and upcycling are topics that will also play a major role at Christmasworld 2021. From 2021, the ‘Sustainability’ Special Interest Iogo will identify manufacturers who have sustainable products in their ranges. This will be in the exhibitor search, the Christmasworld App, the trade fair catalogue and on the information stands in the exhibition centre,” says Uherek.
