SUSSEX COUNTY, Del. - As the holiday season gets into full swing, the tradition of picking out a real Christmas tree remains a ritual for many families. This year, however, some shoppers may notice a change in price, as it's not uncommon for real cut trees to cost $200.
Christmas tree shopping in Sussex County
Experiences in supply, demand and pricing vary for some local Sussex County businesses. Lexi Hiotis, a manager at Harry's Hardware in Long Neck, said prices to source trees from the same New Jersey farm they've used for the past five years have gone up 10 to 15 percent. That and other factors like renting a truck to transport the trees, gas, labor and needing to maintain a reasonable profit margin play into the final price consumers pay, which this year ranges from $65 to $225 for real trees of different sizes.
For Christmas 2024, it's not uncommon for real Christmas trees to cost between $100 and $200, as this sign from Harry's Hardware in Long Neck shows.
A short drive northwest, the East Coast Garden Center has had a different experience in getting this year's cut Christmas trees. Manager Katie Short said the garden center orders trees from a farm in Pennsylvania as early as February in order to lock in pricing almost a year before each holiday season. Prices for consumers haven't changed there this year; trees that range from 4 to 8 feet run between $100 and $200, and East Coast sold out at these rates last year.
"We started selling Christmas trees a few years ago for the convenience of our customers," Short told CoastTV. "A lot of them are also coming to get other decorations like poinsettias, cut greens, porch pots, wreaths and other items."
Though many may try to save a few bucks by heading to larger chains instead, prices are similar at Home Depot and Lowes, where full-sized trees can sell for up to $225, according to store websites.
National supply stable, prices not
In September, Hurricane Helene devastated parts of North Carolina, which is one of the largest producers of Christmas trees in the country. According to the National Christmas Tree Association, North Carolina, along with Pennsylvania, Michigan, Oregon, Washington and Wisconsin, are the top tree-producing states in the U.S. They provide the majority of the 25 to 30 million real trees sold each year across the country.
Though Helene's damaging landslides and flooding destroyed homes, roads and lives, there isn't a significant impact on the supply of Christmas trees this year, according to a November publication from the North Carolina State University's College of Natural Resources.
The American Christmas Tree Association says consumer demand will remain high this year and some areas may see shortages of trees or limited selection, but the supply is actually improving overall. That being said, while some challenges have improved this year, drought and the rising costs of labor, fertilizer, fuel and other inflation-related factors have contributed to Christmas tree prices continuing to rise in 2024, according to the association. Last year, natural trees cost 10 to 15 percent more than they did in 2022 due to production-related costs.
Twenty-five to 30 million real Christmas trees are sold each year in the United States, according to the National Christmas Tree Association.
Artificial trees aren't exempt from this either; they could also be more expensive due to transportation disruptions. According to the National Christmas Tree Association and the U.S. Commerce Department, about 80 percent of artificial trees around the world are made in China and must travel long distances to arrive in American living rooms.
High prices, higher spirits
Locally, both Harry's Hardware and the East Coast Garden Center began selling real trees just before Thanksgiving and said customer activity picks up as the season progresses. Although CoastTV has spoken with multiple people who were shocked at prices this year and expected them to be in the range of $50 to $75 instead, many folks have chosen to shop local to support the community, and these local businesses said they haven't heard many concerns from customers.
"Most people who come tree shopping know what they want and plan on buying a real tree no matter what," said Hiotis. "The magical spirit, the family decorating it... can you put a price on the magic of Christmas?"