The most popular day to put up a Christmas tree in the UK is this Saturday (December 7), according to a survey.
A third of households (31%) will mark the start of the festive season by buying and decorating their tree in the first weekend of December.
The second Saturday in December is the second most popular time (chosen by 24%) with the third Saturday next (11%).
One in ten homes beat the rush by putting their tree and decorations up in November and many Britons buy trees during the week.
One in 50 homes (2%) don’t get their tree until Christmas Eve when they are heavily discounted.
More than half of Britons (54%) have an artificial Christmas tree, a third have a real one (32%) and 14% are real-life Grinchs with no tree or decorations at all.
The results are from a survey of 1,000 people by online store Furniturebox.
The survey found that most households buy their trees on a Saturday (66%) and then spend the whole weekend decorating it.
Half of respondents (52%) buy new decorations each year, while 48% economise by sticking with old ones from previous years to save money.
Almost two-thirds of homeowners with real trees (62%) worry about falling needles and the tree looking dried out and dead by Christmas Day.
A similar number of homes (63%) like to do external festive displays outside – with door wreaths the most popular (a third of homes – 31%) followed by Christmas lights (28%).
The survey found that putting up Christmas tree decorations marked the start of the Christmas holiday for 72% of homeowners.
Six out of ten homes have taken their Christmas Tree down by New Year and only 15% wait for the Twelfth Night – which is the 12th day after Christmas and the official end of celebrations according to Christian tradition.
Three-quarters of respondents (74%) say they put up their Christmas decorations at the same time each year and this is a tradition passed down by the generations.
Queen Victoria and husband Prince Albert first popularised the Christmas Tree in the UK when they were pictured around their tree in 1848 – inspiring millions of families to follow suit.
A Furniturebox spokesperson said: “This Saturday is Christmas Tree Day in the UK when more people will buy trees than any other.
“There is a lot of debate about when is the best date to put up the Christmas trees and decorations.
“Some people like to turn the whole of December into a Christmas holiday while others prefer to wait – often because they fear their Christmas tree will die before Christmas Day“What nearly all of us agree on is that we don’t feel Christmassy until we buy a tree and decorate our homes.”
Furniturebox, which provides a choice of premium furniture representing value, quality and style with the very best contemporary and modern designs. guarantees next day delivery to nearly all addresses throughout the UK if the order is placed by 8pm the previous day.
Furniturebox was founded by former school friends Monty George and Dan Beckles, both aged 26, eight years ago and is already a rival to Dunelm, Habitat and Ikea as one of the UK’s leading furniture brands.
George and Beckles are part of a new breed of ‘Gen Z entrepreneurs’ creating ecommerce businesses worth millions.
* Find out more about Christmas tree etiquette and tips on how to decorate your home in Furniturebox’s guide.
