As we get closer to Christmas, many people are starting to wonder how much the coronavirus pandemic will affect it.
One thing that might face the chop is shopping for a Christmas tree.
There are calls for the practice of buying and selling the festive trees to be deemed as 'essential'.
Independent TD for Sligo-Leitrim Marian Harkin told Newstalk Breakfast exceptions should be made.
"Shopping for a Christmas tree is a family tradition, it's an occasion, it's the start of the Christmas season.
"And I suppose people begin to feel the spirit of Christmas when they go looking and shopping for a tree.
"The whole thing was brought to my attention when two Christmas tree sellers contacted me and they simply wanted to know could they sell in the usual way in their pop-up shops, car parks, roadsides etc.
Image by Eak K. from Pixabay"The way I look at it is those who grow turkeys sell them for Christmas, those who grow Christmas trees want to make sure they can sell them.
"And the other issue that occurred to me was that if you buy a real Christmas tree, you're shopping local - and that's really important now as well".
She said questions over what should re-open should be included under a review, which was promised after four weeks.
"A review is where you look at the evidence, where you asses it, and based on that evidence you take decisions.
"So you have to look at the numbers of people infected, at the R value, and then you have to look at the evidence of risk.
"And living with COVID does entail some level of risk".
"I would look a the evidence in a weeks' time, and my own instinct would be - if it's going in the right direction - to open non-essential retail and personal services".
"We have to live with COVID, and there are many, many reasons why non-essential shops, non-essential services should open if it can be seen to be safe".
"I think a this stage, listening to what was said last night, it's unlikely - but think about all those workers who are on €300 maximum PUP payment".
