Macedonian merchants and restaurateurs set aside substantial sums of money for decorations, all with the aim of creating a New Year's atmosphere. Some of them reveal to "Sloboden Pechat" that they are ready to spend from 500 to 3.000 euros for light bulbs, lanterns, hanging garlands, various shiny figures and bows. Each according to their pocket, and mostly at their own expense, they are supplied with such decorations at wholesalers, but there are also those who hire specialized companies to decorate their business premises.

In recent years, hand-drawn pictures with Christmas motifs have also been noticed, and their price for just one shop window goes over 100 euros. And while the capital, as per tradition, is busy with New Year's decoration, some shops and shopping centers, at least from the outside, shine in red and gold. Although it is the end of November, for some merchants it is a sign that they should "untangle" the New Year's curtains of light bulbs, which is a sign of the beginning of the New Year's mood.

Although there is no precise data on the total value of the Macedonian decoration market, unofficial calculations range up to two million dollars. On the other hand, according to data from the Observatory of Economic Complexity (OEC), in 2022, Macedonia spent 2,17 million dollars on the import of Christmas decorations, primarily from: China ($1,33 million), Greece ($601 thousand) , Poland ($54,4k), Slovenia ($30,8k) and Hong Kong ($27,5k). The fastest growing markets for the import of Christmas decorations for Macedonia between 2021 and 2022 were Greece ($160 thousand), Hong Kong ($27,5 thousand) and Turkey ($20,8 thousand), OEC reported. On the other hand, in 2022, Macedonia exported Christmas decorations worth $21, making it the 99th largest exporter of Christmas decorations in the world. In the same year, Christmas decorations were the 1.782nd most exported product in North Macedonia. The main destinations of the export of Christmas decorations from Macedonia two years ago were: Montenegro ($18,9 thousand), Croatia ($1,07 thousand), Serbia ($913), Switzerland ($9) and the Netherlands ($8). .

Otherwise, the global platform Statista announced that the value of the global market for Christmas decorations and lights in 2021 was estimated at 6,8 billion US dollars. This figure is projected to increase to over nine billion dollars by 2026. The calculated amounts include lights, Christmas trees and other Christmas decorations. In 2023, China was the leading exporter of Christmas decorations globally, with exports of such items amounting to over US$5,7 billion. The Netherlands and India were some of the other key suppliers of Christmas decorations around the world.

In Europe, December marks the beginning of the holiday season. Although traditions and customs vary from country to country, illuminated streets, bustling markets and a holiday shopping frenzy are almost the norm throughout the region.

The production of Christmas decorations is a separate industry

The production of Christmas decorations is a special branch of industrial production in many countries, China in the first place. Ornaments are made by hand or machine, and can be for indoor or outdoor use. Christmas decorations for outdoor use are primarily characterized by water resistance, strength, recognition, visibility and size. They are also suitable for hanging large objects such as bridges, buildings and flags. It is precisely this type of New Year's products that are mostly bought by cities and municipalities, to beautify the population's New Year's celebration. It's not the same when a New Year's concert is held only under floodlights or if there are large decorated Christmas trees in the park around you or garlands of lights hanging from buildings above your heads before the fireworks.