Research: Surprising Latvian Celebration Trends

The three most celebrated small occasions in Latvia are gatherings with friends (91%), achievements of relatives and friends (87%), and reaching personal goals, celebrated by 75% of the population.

Achievements or important everyday milestones are marked most often with a small treat (92%) or a delicious homemade meal (91%). Other popular choices for celebration are a trip to the countryside (89%) or rewarding oneself with a long-desired purchase (86%). Meanwhile, 77% of the public admits that they add a glass of champagne to their everyday meal to make it feel more special, while 68% like to observe milestones by going out to a restaurant.

“The results of this survey highlight the Latvian public from a new perspective - they don’t just appreciate large and small occasions, they also take pleasure in celebrating them. To allow people to celebrate life’s special moments more often, Maxima has introduced a new offer on Premium products in their stores. These products, which are perfect for celebrating both large and small occasions, are now much more accessible for a wide range of customers throughout Latvia. Maxima has implemented its largest price reduction to date on Premium products, including favourite special-occasion items like gourmet Brie and Camembert cheese, red caviar, steak, a wide range of wines, fresh fish, pasta and a range of other products which allow people to create restaurant-quality meals at home. The reduced-price offer on these products is already available at Maxima XX and Maxima XXX stores in Riga,” says Maxima Latvija Board Member Jānis Vanags.

Celebrating an event with a small treat or meal is especially popular among those living in the countryside and the regions outside Riga (94% and 96%, respectively). Residents of Riga are more likely than others to enjoy champagne with a meal (83%) and are also more likely to choose a meal at a restaurant as a celebration (74%).

At the same time, a lack of money and the insignificance of such occasions (44%) are most often named as the main reasons for those who do not celebrate everyday special occasions and achievements. Similarly, 29% see small celebrations as a waste of money and too expensive.

Interestingly, 21% of respondents stated that they tend not to celebrate out of modesty and not wishing to boast about their achievements. There is also a distinct difference between the generations, demonstrated by the fact that a quarter (24%) of people, which mainly includes members of the older generation, state that celebrating an everyday event is an unnecessary extravagance.