"Celebrate Life" study reveals: Germans long for indulgence

-Germans have enjoyed their lives more again this year
-Corona once again cannot spoil the anticipation of holidays
-Christmas and New Year's Eve but only with loved ones in a small circle
-Every second person is optimistic about the future

In its second year, Corona continues to dominate large parts of everyday life in Germany after a breather in the summer. People's desire for normality - and moments of shared enjoyment with family, friends and good food and drink - is growing all the more. Although Germans were able to enjoy the current year more than the previous one, the majority remains cautious: big celebrations at Christmas and New Year's Eve are hardly planned. Instead, more than two-thirds want to spend the time around Christmas Eve with their closest family circle (71%). New Year's Eve is all about togetherness, with the majority planning to welcome the new year with their partner at home (56%). Despite the special situation, the anticipation of the best time of the year clearly prevails - not even one in five will let Corona take it away. As a result, the "Celebrate Life" index rose significantly from 3.5 to 4.1 points compared to the previous year. This is the result of the representative study on people's enjoyment behaviour commissioned by Henkell Freixenet for the second time in several countries.

More enjoyment despite pandemic
In terms of enjoyment, things were looking up for Germans in 2021 despite the ongoing pandemic: at least 39% say they were able to enjoy their lives (2020: 30%). In comparison, however, we are clearly in last place behind our less pessimistic European neighbours, as a glance across the borders shows. 53% of Spaniards, half of the French and 47% of respondents in the UK said they enjoyed their lives in 2021. When asked what it means to them to enjoy life, Germans most often mention time with family and friends (52%), although almost as many also like to have time to themselves (51%). Third place on the podium is occupied by good food and drink; for almost half of Germans, both are indispensable for a pleasurable life (44%) - the top value among all participating countries.

Christmas and New Year's Eve: Small circle, big (pre-)joy
Every second German looks forward to Christmas (51%) and hardly anyone wants to have their anticipation spoiled by Corona (18%). In 2020, almost a third still said that the pandemic was dampening the outlook for the festive season. Nevertheless, people are not in the mood for big celebrations - only a good quarter plan to spend Christmas with their extended family (27%), and even fewer want to celebrate with friends (20%). Instead, the majority are looking forward to sitting under the Christmas tree with their closest family (71%). Some other countries are more courageous - probably also due to a more relaxed pandemic situation. Many Spaniards, for example, do not miss the opportunity to see distant relatives (51%) and friends (38%) on the holidays.

It is also not the right time for glittering New Year's Eve parties - only 15% of Germans do not want to do without them. In contrast, more than half plan to toast the New Year at home with their partner (56%). However they celebrate the turn of the year, Germans are looking forward to the new year with a lot of optimism: 55% believe they will be able to enjoy 2022 - only 38% had expected this for 2021.

Toast? Preferably with sparkling wine!
The answer to the question of sparkling wine or seltzer is clear. For us Germans, sparkling wine is a firm favourite on New Year's Eve - almost two-thirds will welcome the New Year with a glass of sparkling wine (63%), including 11% who will reach for the non-alcoholic variant.

"The last two years have presented us all with great challenges, and enjoyment has come up short for many people. It is therefore all the more gratifying to see the confidence with which 2022 is expected. I am also particularly pleased with the fact that food and drink are the most important things to Germans among the participating countries. We feel like enjoying life again!", comments Andreas Brokemper, CEO of Henkell Freixenet, on the survey results.