Artificial trees and cash payments dominate preferences, while gift and tree budgets remain moderate, shows a survey conducted in partnership with FinZoom

With the winter holidays approaching, Romanians are preparing to welcome the Christmas spirit in a complex economic context. A survey conducted by CEC Bank in collaboration with FinZoom reveals some interesting trends in people's preferences and spending during this period.

According to the results, half of Romanians opt for artificial trees. Rising food prices had the biggest impact on Christmas spending, according to 50% of respondents, while 43% indicated rising utility prices.

Gift budgets remain moderate for most, with 57% of respondents planning to spend under 500 lei. At the same time, 28% plan to spend between 500 and 1,000 lei on gifts. As for the source of money, 41% say they save money in advance and 40% spend directly from their salary.

In terms of payment methods, over 56% of payments will be made in cash, 26% by debit card, and only 11% by credit card. Malls remain the preferred destination for holiday shopping (45%), followed by local producers (22%), with online shopping coming in third (17.43%).

When it comes to Christmas trees, 54% of participants choose artificial trees and 20.75% opt for natural ones. The budget allocated to trees is varied, with 31% of respondents already having artificial from previous years and 23% planning to spend between 60 and 150 lei on a  Christmas tree.

The survey was conducted online by FinZoom and involved around 1,200 respondents from across the country, reflecting the diversity of internet users in Romania. Despite the financial challenges, Romanians seem to maintain their pragmatism in preparing for the holidays.