January 2006

Surveying Christmas By Catherine Evans

We asked survey participants to describe their season in 300 words or less and here are some of the best responses, in no particular order. There are a number of similarities as well as differences, but overall, some really good feedback. Remember, they are anonymous so no locations are mentioned.

• “Overall, it was a good season. We were sold out of 6-inch red poinsettias the last days of the season; this hasn’t happened for many years. We sold a lot of the Fantasy Poinsettias, the blue and lavender were the most popular colors.”
• “My season was down by 15 percent. It started late, and a lot of people were concerned about the high cost of automobile and heating fuel. I don’t feel they spent what they did the previous years.”
• “Excellent! We ramped up numbers, dramatically raised prices and sold out.”
• “Sales were soft but still had a good season considering the weather. We had an exceptional poinsettia crop, which we sold 70 percent wholesale and the rest retail; average price for a 6-inch was $25.”
• “Our season was good. We had a slow start and then in early December we picked up. Most of our sales were in silk stems and giftware. A tough year for artificial trees; however, we sold every fresh-cut tree we had. Fresh greens and memorials were up. Poinsettias were break even, lights were flat and ribbon was a good item this year.”
• “Our Christmas season went better than expected; tree sales were up by 20 percent. The reason being four tree lots within three miles were not opened this year. Poinsettia sales were even or a little below last year.”
• “We have been doing Christmas for 17 years, and this was the very best year ever. The sell thru was the best in our history; it will be a joy to start out with new and fresh ideas for the 2006 season.”