Local Christmas tree farms and retailers are experiencing high demand for live trees this year.
Dave Morin, past president of the Massachusetts Christmas Tree Association and owner of Arrowhead Acres in Uxbridge, said the season started off fast and early.
“In other years or years in the past, the following week and beyond Thanksgiving is usually the busiest,” Morin said, “but that trend seems to have changed.”
A range of factors are behind the rush, including a late Thanksgiving, pleasant weather, and a continuing decrease in local farms putting more demand on fewer locations. Morin said Massachusetts’ tree farms decreased from a high of 150 to about 100 today, and most of those are not entirely dependent on Christmas tree sales.
Morin said at least a dozen farms sold out of their product in the first weekend.
Tom Simmons, who owns Mockingbird Hill Christmas Tree Farm in Lakeville, said cutting season at his farm could be over by the time next weekend rolls around.
Simmons said generations of families have made it a tradition to pick out trees at Mockingbird. And over the years, he’s seen customers’ preferences change. The top pick used to be Scotch pine, known for its bright green color and needle retention. Now many shoppers are looking for balsam firs, which have a darker green appearance and a strong aroma.
“That was because most of the growers were in the continental United States,” Simmons explained. “Now a lot of the growers are in Canada and Nova Scotia, where they grow balsams.”
Boston Christmas Trees, which has been selling fresh cut trees on Harvard Avenue in Allston since 1972, opened their lot on Friday with thousands of balsam and Fraser firs imported from Quebec.
“The day after Thanksgiving, it went crazy — and it’s gone crazy ever since,” said owner Chris Gregory.
Christmas Tree for Me in the Seaport, right across from the Holiday Market at Snowport, also gets their trees from Quebec. Owner Jeff Feccia said there’s been a consistent rush of customers since they opened their shop right before Thanksgiving.
Feccia said one of the best parts of having a side hustle like selling Christmas trees is he always smells great and festive.
“When I get home from the tree lot at the end of the night, our 4-year-old daughter always says, 'Daddy, you smell like a Christmas tree.’ So that’s kind of cool,” he said.
Retailers told GBH News that tree prices are similar to last year, but typically start at $70. But if you opt for services, like delivery and set up, customers should plan to spend more.
Simmons from Mockingbird Hill Christmas Tree Farm said there’s just something special about a live tree.
“I’m a Massachusetts certified arborist, and I like real, know what I mean? I don’t particularly like anything fake,” he said. “My wife and I, we used to teach downhill skiing after the Christmas trees. Not that I don’t like skiing on fake snow or man-made snow, but there’s nothing like a 2-foot dump. You gotta be real.”
