“Celebrate Life” study: Everything will be better next year – Cheers!
How we enjoy Christmas and New Year’s Eve this year
- Christmas in the closest family circle
- New Year’s Eve in pairs is very popular
- One of two optimistic for 2021
- Representative YouGov survey in five countries
Two thirds of those surveyed are planning Christmas in their closest family circle across all countries, and 58 percent want to celebrate New Year’s Eve in pairs in this year marked by corona restrictions. Nevertheless, the vast majority is not willing to let Corona spoil the mood: three-quarters of those surveyed say that good food and drinks are the focus of their attention, especially at Christmas. And one of two is optimistic about 2021, according to the representative study commissioned by Henkell Freixenet on the enjoyment behaviour of people in several countries, with 7,700 participants.
One of three could enjoy life in 2020 despite Corona
Overall, the results show that 2020 was a rather dark year for respondents, but a large proportion do not want to be left behind. Across all countries, 31 percent of the surveyed were able to enjoy life in the current Corona year, with the British (34 percent) enjoying the most, the Spanish (26 percent) the least.
The way of enjoying life differs relatively strongly between the nations – nevertheless, all agree on one thing: spending time with family and friends is the most frequently mentioned across all countries with 60 percent. Having time for oneself is also a valuable commodity for 46 percent. Followed by pleasure: 39 percent of respondents say that “good food and drink” is very important when it comes to celebrate life. Good food and drink, by the way, is particularly important for Germans and Britains in an international comparison.
Christmas at home with the family
How one wants (or can) spend Christmas is currently a very important question for respondents in all countries. By far the most people want to spend the holidays with their close family (64 to 66 percent). All nations agree on this. Germans are the most cautious when it comes to celebrating with the wider family or with friends (11 percent each with friends and the larger family circle), while Americans find it most difficult to give up this habit (31 percent with friends, 32 percent with the larger family circle).
46 percent are looking forward to Christmas and 44 percent want to celebrate it as usual. The greatest anticipation for Christmas is seen among Americans, who are most looking forward to Christmas (55 percent) and want to celebrate Christmas as usual (50 percent). For Spaniards the joy before Christmas is spoiled the most: only 35 percent of those surveyed are looking forward to Christmas, only 33 percent want to celebrate it as usual. However, three quarters of all respondents want to celebrate Christmas with good food and drink.
More than half of those surveyed are planning their New Year’s Eve in pairs
Despite Corona, 33 percent are still looking forward to New Year’s Eve, while for 41 percent it spoils the anticipation. The French have a more pessimistic view: 59 percent of those surveyed say that Corona takes down their anticipation of New Year’s Eve.
This year, the turn of the year is likely to take place mainly in a smaller circle: 59 percent of those surveyed celebrate New Year’s Eve with their partner – and they do so in their home country, because 85 percent of those surveyed do not plan any holidays over the New Year.
Sparkling wine or Champagne? With this, people toast the New Year
Sparkling New Year’s Eve is still very much in vogue: 52 percent of those surveyed will welcome the New Year with a glass of Prosecco, Cava or Champagne, 7 percent with non-alcoholic sparkling wine. Almost every second Frenchman will toast the New Year with a glass of Champagne. The Spanish would like to enjoy life most on New Year’s Eve: More than two thirds (69 percent) of those surveyed want to toast the New Year with Cava or Champagne.
“The year 2020 was a major challenge for all of us. So it is all the more wonderful that in these challenging times, many people are still able to enjoy life and, even on a small scale, toast Christmas and the New Year with a glass of sparkling wine with their closest friends and family,” says Dr Andreas Brokemper, CEO of Henkell Freixenet.
About the “Celebrate Life” study
With the motto “Celebrate Life”, the world’s leading sparkling wine producer Henkell Freixenet commissioned a study on the enjoyment behaviour people from five nations in corona times. The market research institute YouGov Deutschland GmbH investigated to what extent people in Germany, Spain, France, Great Britain and the USA were able to enjoy life even in corona times and how they celebrate Christmas and New Year’s Eve this year. A total of 7,711 people took part in the online survey, which took place from 18 to 24 November 2020.
About Henkell Freixenet
Henkell Freixenet is the world’s leading sparkling wine producer. The Group includes brands such as Freixenet, Henkell, Mionetto Prosecco and Fürst von Metternich as well as the wine brands i heart WINES, Mía, Mederaño and the spirits Mangaroca Batida de Côco and Wodka Gorbatschow. The group markets almost all sparkling wine specialities from sparkling wine to Cava from Spain, Prosecco from Italy and Champagne and Crémant from France – supplemented by a diverse range of wines and spirits. The company has subsidiaries in 30 countries and exports its brands to more than 150 countries. The highest standards of quality and craftsmanship combined with market and brand competence make it the market leader in numerous countries.
Further information is available at www.henkell-freixenet.com
