You might be paying a little bit more for your Christmas tree this season, according to the National Christmas Tree Association.
Their researchers found a 20% spike in the purchase of real Christmas trees and a 12% rise in artificial trees in 2018. According to USA Today, the price raise means that consumers are paying anywhere from "a few bucks to $10 more" for their trees this season.
Millennials are now of the ages where they are settling down, getting married and having children — and they prefer real trees.
Many Christmas tree farmers are still recovering from the 2008 recession when many families purchased artificial trees to save money. Farmers began planting fewer trees with the expectation of selling less in the years to come.
However, most Americans have since recovered from the recession and are even purchasing more than one tree for their homes.
With millennials buying more real trees, farmers are now struggling to keep up with demand. And since the National Christmas Tree Association reports that it takes about seven years to grow an adult Christmas tree, it may be a while before the supply catches up to the demand.
This story was originally published by Joyce Lupiani on KTNV in Las Vegas.
