By: Sean Laettner

Tis the season when all of the families across the world travel to their nearest farmers market shops, and pick out their yearly Christmas tree. For many, this is a yearly tradition that has been implemented in their culture, where you can get a standard tree for less than $100. However, there has been a spike in Christmas tree prices, where the price of trees are going close to $700.

As I was just in Florida visiting my girlfriend, I started noticing the prices of these trees, and how many people do not want to buy them this year. When talking to a local tree farmer in Westchase, Florida (right outside of Tampa), he explained how “Christmas trees this year are in high demand. Not because of a shortage, but because of the market”.

“This year, we have lost many customers who have been coming here for many years to buy trees. Their reasoning is that they are just too expensive, and they would rather go to their nearest Walmart or Target and buy the plastic ones for way cheaper” says the local farmer.

Although Christmas trees are in the spotlight, other things such as wreaths have been boosting up in prices. From originally starting at $11.99, it is now going for up to $137.99.

Hopefully next year, things will go down and I hope that everyone will eventually start getting into that Christmas spirit, because that is exactly what we all need right now.