The tradition of the Christmas tree dates back to the 16th century in Germany, where conifers were decorated with apples, nuts and gilded paper to celebrate the winter solstice. It then spread across Europe, especially in France and England, and became widely popular in the 19th century thanks to royal families such as that of Queen Victoria. Decorations evolved over time, from candles and fruits to glass baubles, garlands and eventually electric lights. Today, the Christmas tree is a central festive ritual, standing proudly in living rooms across millions of households and surrounded by gifts during the holiday season.
60 million
Each year in Europe, around 50 to 60 million Christmas trees are sold, most of them coming from tree farms rather than forests. Artificial trees account for 20 to 25% of sales, according to Industry Research.
6.4 million
According to a Kantar study for FranceAgriMer and Valhor, 6.4 million trees were sold in France in 2022. Of these, 5.7 million were natural trees – 89% of total volume – for a total revenue of 173 million euros.
77.9%
Still according to Kantar, 77.9% of the Christmas trees sold in France were Nordmann firs. Spruce accounted for 17.7% of sales in 2022.
83%
In 2022, 83% of Christmas trees were recycled, compared with 69% in 2013. The share of trees thrown away dropped to 8% in 2022 from 19% ten years earlier. Trees returned to the point of sale represent 2%, and those replanted 5%.
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