Christmas is fast approaching, and Romanians are already in the fever of preparations, looking for everything they need for the Holiday table and for decorating the house with a Christmas tree and seasonal ornaments.
Romanians look for the most beautiful Christmas tree during this period. Photo by Shutterstock
From natural firs grown in European plantations, cut or with roots, to artificial firs with the most realistic appearance, the stores' offer is varied, with prices starting from a few tens of lei and reaching several thousand for large or premium specimens.
The price of a natural Christmas tree starts from 39 lei
The main DIY stores in Romania have extremely varied offers, from 39 lei at Leroy Merlin and Dedeman for a small natural Christmas tree, up to 1,500 lei for an artificial Christmas tree with LEDs at Hornbach and 9,999 lei for a 9-10 m natural Christmas tree at Magazinul de brazi.
Artificial fir trees from Leroy Merlin have prices starting from around 199 lei and can reach up to 549 lei, depending on the height and model, while natural cut fir trees cost between 39 lei and around 390 lei, depending on the height and quality.
At Dedeman you can find natural firs starting from 38.90 lei for one with a height between 1 and 1.3 m, the most expensive artificial fir costing 358.99 lei for a height between 2.5 and 3 m.
At Hornbach, artificial firs start at around 89 lei for small, compact models and go up to over 1,500 lei for large, richly branched, natural-looking firs. Natural firs, cut or potted, can be found in the price range from 75 lei for small specimens to 1,200 lei for larger or premium firs.
The brazi.ro store, operated by Silva Group Romania, offers online Christmas trees grown exclusively in private plantations in Europe, either cut or with roots, avoiding firs from illegal cuttings, and thus offers natural fir lovers the option of choosing a quality fir at a fair price.
The lowest price is 239 lei for a 1.5 – 1.75 m tree, and the most expensive is sold for 9,999 lei and has a height of 9-10 m.
How much does a natural potted Christmas tree cost?
The purchase of potted fir trees has been in trend for several years, although the prices are quite high in relation to the height. People prefer them though, because they last longer and can sometimes even be replanted.
At Dedeman, a natural “potted” fir, Abies Nordmanniana, H 100–150 cm (pot diameter ~24 cm) costs 157.00 lei, while at Hornbach prices start from 140 lei for a fir with a height of 80 to 100 cm, and reach 190 lei for a height of 125 – 150 cm.
A small potted spruce / fir (Picea glauca Conica, 60–70 cm) at Hornbach costs 115.00 lei.
How much does a natural fir tree cost in the markets
Natural firs began to appear in the markets, with prices starting from 75 lei and reaching 1,500 lei, depending on size and quality.
Thus, depending on the size, a two-meter tree costs from 250 lei, and three-meter ones can reach 500 lei. But there are also smaller firs with less rich crowns, which cost between 75 and 150 lei, while a six-meter one costs 1,200 lei.
How much does a spruce cost?
Romsilva announced that it has put up for sale over 16,000 Christmas trees, of which 13,462 are of the fir species, and 2,953 are spruces or other resinous species.
Prices start from 17 lei for a spruce up to 1.3 meters high and go up to 39 lei for a 2-3 meter fir tree.
Christmas trees can be purchased from the forest offices in the mountain and hill areas, where there are forest nurseries.
On request, trees with protected roots or in pots are also offered, which can later be replanted, but this involves additional costs.
In the case of selling in markets or other locations, shipping, handling and storage costs are added to the final price.
When the tree is decorated according to tradition
According to tradition, the tree is decorated on the eve of Christmas Eve, on December 24. The next day, on December 25, the children will find the gifts left by Santa Claus under the tree.
In addition to colored lights or globes, a star must be attached to the top of the tree, representing the star that led the Magi to the baby Jesus.
The custom of decorating the Christmas tree has ancient origins and is linked to certain historical periods.
The fir tree is considered a tree of life, due to the fact that it remains green even in winter, thus symbolizing Christ, the ever-living one.
This custom is believed to have roots in pagan traditions. It is suspected that the Christmas tree first appeared among the Germanic peoples, who used to bring green branches into their homes to mark the revival of nature and bring hope during winter.
As time went by, Christmas trees were decorated with fruit, nuts, crackers and garlands made of paper or textiles.
The custom of decorating the tree became more popular in Europe only in the 19th century, mainly due to the influence of Queen Victoria of Great Britain and her husband, Prince Albert, originally from Germany.
A famous illustration of the royal family, featuring a decorated Christmas tree, helped popularize the custom among the middle and upper classes.
In Romania, the Christmas tree was decorated for the first time at the Royal Palace of King Carol I of Hohenzollern, in 1866.
