Many families prefer a real farm-grown Christmas tree over an artificial tree made from PVC plastic in a factory in China. There are many reasons a real farm-grown Christmas tree is by far the best choice including; the family experience of selecting the tree, the wonderful scent of a real tree, real Christmas trees are grown on farms in the US and Canada and are natural and fully recyclable. However, the supply of farm-grown trees will remain tight again for the 2022 Christmas season.
The National Christmas Tree Association, the national association of Christmas tree growers, advises consumers to follow these recommendations:
- Shop early to have the best choice. Due to their popularity, in some parts of the US, choose-and-cut Christmas tree farms sell their available trees quickly. If you plan to shop at a tree farm shop early in the season. Shopping early in the season is a good idea wherever you plan to shop to have the most options to choose among.
- You will be able to purchase a tree. Supplies are tight and some locations will sell out early, but there are enough real farm-grown Christmas trees for everyone who wants one to get one. Supplies of real farm-grown trees have been tight since 2016, but each year shoppers have been able to find a tree.
- Be flexible. Because supplies are tight you may need to look in different places to find a real tree. You should also be open to trying different types of trees. There are many beautiful varieties of Christmas trees, there will be one that is just right for you and your family.
2021 Season Recap
NCTA conducts a survey of consumers each year in January to keep track of important consumer Christmas tree purchasing trends. The survey is taken by a 2,000-person sample that is balanced to represent the demographics of the US population. The results of the survey are used to project the total number of real trees purchased and calculate the median price paid by survey respondents who purchased a real tree.
The 2021 survey results project 20.98 million real Christmas trees were purchased in 2021. The survey respondents who purchased a real tree reported paying a median price of $69.50 for their tree in 2021. The average real Christmas tree buyer in 2021 was 40 years old, lived in a household of more than 3 people and owned a home.
Where Real Farm-Grown Christmas trees were purchased in 2021
- Chain Store (Walmart, Home Depot, Loews, etc.) 28.5%
- Choose & Cut Farm: 26.8%
- Retail Lot: 16.2%
- Nursery: 11.6%
- Non-Profit Group (Boy Scouts, churches, etc.): 7.4%
- Online: 5.6%
- Other: 3.9%