'Tis the Season to Bust the Biggest Christmas Tree Myths

From popular songs like “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” to ‘O Christmas Tree,’  the Christmas tree is the centerpiece of many Christmas celebrations.

Unlike reports of a Christmas tree shortage, the Real Christmas Tree Board, which is the checkoff for Christmas tree farmers, says growers from across the country have been able to meet the increasing demand.

“They’ve reported a Christmas tree shortage for years. And after several years, we've never run out of Christmas trees,” says Marsha Gray, executive director, the Real Christmas Tree Board. "Our supply numbers are actually lower than they were 10 or 20 years ago. So that part is true. But we've never not met the demand.”

She says there’s no question demand has skyrocketed, largely due to the Covid-19 pandemic. As more Americans decided to take part in several Christmas traditions, more purchased real Christmas trees.

Weather's Lack of Impact On This Year's Tree Supply 

The demand front is good news. And on the supply side, Gray says even with the whiplash of weather, those challenges don’t  cut into the supply for a given year.

"It's very rare that a weather event in the existing year impacts the trees we're trying to sell. What it does impact in most cases are the seedlings, the new plantings,” says Gray.

The main Christmas tree production areas in the U.S. are Oregon, Wisconsin, Michigan and North Carolina. While the drought didn’t cut down on the tree supply for 2022, the extreme heat in the Pacific Northwest threw a curveball for growers this year.

“They were hitting like 118 degrees in June,” says Gray. “It didn't kill trees. What it did is (affect) all that flush new growth on the ends, that's where you get all the pretty new branches.”

The Grinch? Skyrocketing Freight Costs 

Gray says it takes a minimum of eight years to grow a Christmas tree to a harvestable size. Weather can be a battle for future trees, but it’s the cost of trucking and freight that added to the cost of trees this year. Last year, trucking availability was the problem. This year, overall, the average cost of a Christmas tree was up 10 percent.

"Like all areas of agriculture and for all products, when you're moving things around, it hinges on fuel prices and availability of trucking," says Gray. "Some growers do price their trees minus the trucking, so it's like you make your deal and then the trucking is on you. Others build that in. And, boy, you're taking a bit of a gamble, but they've worked the market a long time."

Good for the Environment? 

Even with the price, Gray says more millennials are embracing tradition. And as more younger families opt for a real Christmas tree versus artificial, Gray says they’re also buying a product that benefits the environment, which can sometimes be a misconception with U.S. tree shoppers. 

“The trees themselves, because their farms were replanting, it's a constant cycle of renewing and sustaining that. And consumers, when they're done with a tree at the end, it is 100% biodegradable; it's just going to go back to the earth,” says Gray.

Big Export Business 

It's not just an American-grown product that's more environmentally friendly compared to buying a plastic tree. Gray says Christmas tree farmers also benefit the U.S. economy. Demand is growing not just at home, but also abroad.

“We export Christmas trees to Dubai and Mexico, to the Middle East,” says Gray. “We export to all kinds of interesting places.”

As Christmas tree growers wind down another season, it’s an American grown product that’s helping make Christmas memories year after year.