While some people’s Christmas trees have already lost almost all their needles, there are also people who are only now bringing a Christmas tree into their home. Yes, you heard right. Two days before Christmas, the Christmas tree sellers are still busy. Even on Friday, people still trickle in at the Christmas tree forest in Helmond to quickly score a tree.
A young couple is enjoying hot chocolate in the shop in the Christmas tree forest on Friday afternoon. They have just picked out a Christmas tree, and in the meantime a hole is being drilled in it. “It may be too late for some people, but not for us,” says Daniel Ionita. “We come from Romania and decorate the Christmas tree together with our family on December 24. They are coming to the Netherlands tomorrow. Together we listen to Christmas carols and dance around the tree.”
“An additional advantage of buying your tree so late is that it does not fall out.”
A little further on, another person also managed to knock on the head of a tree. “I work in shifts, so I didn’t have time before,” says Roland Kerdel from Helmond. “But a Christmas tree is just part of it. Christmas without a Christmas tree is not Christmas.” And the Hungarian Mark also thinks so: “We already had the presents, but no tree. And you do need that to be able to put them underneath,” he says.
You would think that the most beautiful trees would be gone by now, but the latecomers think differently. “We always arrive so late and always find a beautiful tree,” says Daniel. He and his girlfriend will leave the tree up until January 7. “An additional advantage of buying your tree so late is that it does not fall out. And it’s also a bit cheaper.”
“His wife had died and he wanted a tree at the last minute.”
According to the owner of the Christmas tree forest, about ten to twelve people a day come by to buy a tree in the last days before Christmas. These are often people from a different culture or people who have been ill or on holiday.
“There was also someone whose wife had died and decided to plant a tree at the last minute,” says Kitty Schuurmans. “As a tribute because they always collected them here. That is a sad story, but it also brings joy.”
Kitty will be in the Christmas tree forest until Christmas Eve to sell off her trees.