Christmas Tree Shortage

Many people are opposed to getting or setting up anything Christmas before Thanksgiving, but you might be out of luck this year with a Christmas tree if you decided to wait.

There is a huge tree shortage, so it is forcing people to buy trees sooner than later. A Christmas tree is grown on a Christmas tree farm and takes about 6-8 years to be big enough for people to purchase. Due to climate change many trees were wiped out by both heat and with floods. As reported on KSBW Action News 8, Vince Cardinale, co-owner of Cardinale and Wright Christmas Trees said “A lot of these trees got sunburned which means they were, like, red. So, they were unable to harvest them. On top of the supply chain and freight trucks and the availability of trucks that made this season a little bit more difficult than years past.” Referring to what he said, transportation is also a problem.

In another article from KREM, it states that “The Dietz family have been growing Christmas trees for the greater Spokane area for the last 40 years. But since their supply can no longer keep up with demand, this may be one of the last years as a tree farm.” Mr. Dietz says, “It’s the kind of business that literally grows on you. It just becomes a part of you and it’s kind of in your blood.” It is truly devastating that family businesses are being closed and people aren’t able to carry on family traditions.

Due to the decrease in trees prices are going up, so many people have chosen to go with the fake tree route. Fake tree prices have also gone up in price by 25%, according to Insider.

For many families a real tree is essential. Williamsburg resident and lifelong live tree purchaser Jacx Ramos says she “would rather die then have a fake tree in her house,” and of course she is joking but you get the point. Her family went through a lot of trouble this year trying to find a live tree. Their usual place was out of trees soon after Thanksgiving. Luckily they found one at a church lot, but it wasn’t their normal routine. The church had all their trees wrapped up, and handed them to buyers sight-unseen once the money changed hands. Mrs. Ramos’s family got a good-looking tree, but it won’t stay standing. Another person that I know that bought from the same church, got a very short tree.

I think after a couple years the Christmas tree shortage will be no longer. The demand should also be lower in a couple years because people this year were forced to get fake trees. Fake trees overall is way easier to maintain but personally does not give me the “true Christmas feeling”. Instead of the tree having a great smell it wont have any smell at all, and there will be no stringing the tree with lights due to the lights already on the tree. Overall, it will still be a happy time of year with or without a real tree!

Katie Motes commented on the difficulties on finding her tree “the experience was very difficult. My parents ended up having to go to 7 different places and ended  up getting a tree in Gloucester Country. We payed 75 dollars.” This statement by Motes shows how difficult it was to get a tree this year. Most placed were out of trees and in order to get a good size one you really had to do your research into who still had them.

Eric Ramos also concurred that finding a tree this year was extremely difficult. “I have never payed more for a tree. personally I think a good tree is worth  80-100 dollars and I payed way more than that this year.” This goes to show how people were willing to pay extreme amounts of money and make some sacrifices this holiday season.