Since the Reformation, which began in 1517, Christmas in Germany has been inextricably linked with the tradition of giving gifts. In five centuries, of course, traditions have changed a lot. Commercialization also affected this bright holiday. Gifts have become many times more. As a result, every year in the weeks leading up to Christmas, consumer sentiment rallied strongly, and retail trade set one record after another.
However, in 2022, the energy crisis slows down consumer sentiment and pushes Germans to look for new ideas to please their loved ones. As a result, more and more people are ready to buy gifts in the second-hand segment.
Gifts with an eye on the environment
The results of a sociological survey showed that more and more Germans are ready to donate used items. According to the German Retail Association (Handelsverband Deutschland – HDE), 40 percent of Germans surveyed support the idea of buying used items. Most of those who want to buy and give such a gift are in the age group from 25 to 44 years: every second declared his readiness.
It should be noted that donations of used things in Germany began not only this year and not only because of the energy crisis. The trend has already emerged in recent years, and it is associated with the desire to take good care of resources. There are more and more environmentally conscious people in Germany. Participants in a survey conducted by the German Retail Association a few weeks before Christmas noted that the main reasons for buying a second-hand gift are environmental friendliness and lower prices. Interestingly, older people and women are more happy with such a gift.
Retail trade reacts accordingly to such a trend. The Hanover-based FairKauf and other second-hand companies are seeing an increase in demand. “More and more consumers are thinking about sustainability and resource conservation,” FairKauf CEO Klaus Hibbe told epd. He also stressed that in recent years the proportion of young people among their customers has increased significantly.
What do Germans give for Christmas?
What do Germans buy as a Christmas present? In the seven branches of FairKauf, customers purchase books, sweaters, interior decorations, and toys for children. Each purchase in this network is also helping a social project to support the unemployed. According to the German Retail Association, when choosing a gift from used items, consumers prefer ideas for the home, accessories, household appliances.
At the same time, many respondents said that they still cannot imagine that they would buy a used item as a gift for Christmas, as they fear that such a gift will not bring much joy to the one who receives it.
Instead of second hand
However, it is not at all necessary to give a used thing as a gift, you can use other alternatives that make it possible to follow the trend of deliberate consumption. Such an opportunity is provided, for example, by art libraries that lend works of art for rent. In Hannover, an annual subscription to such an art library will cost 32 euros.
It is not necessary to invest money to make the most expensive gift. Activist and artist Jasmin Mittag offers a fresh take on a long tradition. Instead of material gifts, she dreams of having more time to spend with people who are close and dear to her. “Showing genuine interest in each other is a real gift,” says the artist from Hannover. A joint walk, a trip to a museum, a conversation without interruption on a mobile phone – such simple things can be a real gift for Christmas or New Year.
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