Is anyone else having trouble finding a real Christmas tree

[Alex Bridges]

The lines at please are absurd where I live and the 7-8 footers are sold out. 

What’s it like in your area? 
 

And how is it finding a Christmas tree stand?

[vvp39]

I don't know. I haven't had a tree since my wife passed away; still have an artificial one in a box in the garage, and 3 or 4 boxes of ornaments.

[beallucanb]

They sell them standing in the field where I live (just up the road from me) you pick out the size and kind of tree you like, then cut it down.

[AwakenEvil]

They have some for sale down here near me but I figure for the money buy a fake one... Last longer!

[Alex Bridges]

34 minutes ago, AwakenEvil said:

They have some for sale down here near me but I figure for the money buy a fake one... Last longer!

But then Santa won’t come...

[AwakenEvil]

18 minutes ago, Alex Bridges said:

But then Santa won’t come...

Santa caught the rona... Unfortunately no presents this year

[Alex Bridges]

9 minutes ago, AwakenEvil said:

Santa caught the rona... Unfortunately no presents this year

he can just leave stuff on the porch like every other delivery this year.

[LtlGary]

Parents weren't fans of real trees when I was growing up. This year, however I did manage to talk my mom into getting a smaller fake tree. Went from a 8 ft to a 6 ft tree. So much more manageable!

[willnotwill]

Still tons around here (North Carolina).   Everywhere from Costco to the local tree lots.   Of course pine is a big state industry.

We've not had a live tree in years.    It turns out I'm allergic to them.   For years I just ignored the fact that my arm would break out from setting up the tree and I'd be sick every Christmas.    

[Stroller]

I'll be heading out on Sunday for ours.  There's a couple of places locally where you can go into the plantation, choose a tree & they'll cut it down there & then.

[AbabeBill]

Not shopping for a real tree this year, so not sure of the actual stocks or prices available. But, there are plenty of spots (the usual ones around here) selling, what looks like, at a glance, lots and lots of trees. There are basically only a few things, to cause a seeming shortage of trees. Some kind of disease which attacks evergreens, or acid rain. But, I haven’t heard of such this year. An increase, in the amount of people who want real trees. Which is possible, with more people at home now, and more time available to go look for a real tree. And another possibly, less tree sellers/growers out in the market. I don’t see evidence of that in my area. Remember, most evergreen trees/Christmas trees, grow at about a rate of about 1 foot pre year. So, a seven footer, would need to be, at least 7-8 years old. So, growers have to gage what size trees will be selling best, and what trees to cut the most of.  Same goes for what type, or species of tree most people like most. 

[WetDad]

I found tree stands in my garage, left from last year (and many before that). Took the wife & daughter out tree hunting and we found a you-cut farm where threes were $20 each, any size. We came home with satisfactory trees for each of them.

[~Brian~]

@Alex Bridges

I don't have a Christmas tree here in my apartment, but they decorate our lobby area with nice looking decorations and lights, and it can look really like home.  Due to fire codes, we are NOT allowed to have REAL trees, and have to settle for the fake ones.  In today's climate, I prefer the fake ones, because you don't have to worry about watering the tree, or having to clean up all NEEDLES on the floor.  In non-covid times, our lobby is so beautiful, and it reminds me of being at my Grandparents house in Saint Johnsbury, Vermont - Tree On, fire lit, sitting in Grampa's lap or chair talking to cousins, or having a talk with Aunts or Uncles that dote on you - Bringing you cookies, crackers, sweets, candy, food, drinks,etc.  This will be my 48th time that I will celebrate Christmas........and for the first time in my life, and I hate to say this, it just isn't the same:  The way I override this will be to imagine I am there, with my family in Saint Jay - Many of the times I would go there, it was like a magic carpet ride - It was special in that old house - In more ways than one, and THAT is what I will focus on - The GOOD times, the Christmas Magic, the love and strength of the family - This way, I don't get really depressed.

COVID-19 has shaped our year, and in these times, I am presented with a lobby in my building where there is literally NOTHING in it - Sure, we have the tree, but with the times we face, it just doesn't FEEL like Christmas - It's gonna take a special type of magic to make it special, and I guess it will be magic that we will draw on from our pasts.  I will see my family for a small amount of time, but I won't spend much time with them this year.  Christmas is supposed to be a magical time, which is why I hope that any snow we get in the Northeast will be a "Christmas Snow".

My Uncle and my Cousin usually make a run with a tractor and a trailer down to the cities.  They will load up and make deliveries of trees to these areas.  I am not sure if they did that this year, but they have been known to do that each year.

Since I don't buy trees, I don't know how much they go for now, but I've seen some in the past going for $20-$25 prior to Christmas, and I think as it gets closer to the 20th, they may lower the costs.

Merry Christmas to all

Brian

 

[Cute_Kitten]

Real trees seem to be very popular this year, but also scarce.  Just over the hill from me there is usually a guy who sells trees in the parking lot of a bowling alley. This year he wasn't there. (Don't know if it was due to supplies or Covid). But I've seen a lot of people with trees tied to the roof of their vehicles or in the backs of their trucks. 

Unfortunately, I can't have a real tree because one of my cats is allergic. She's 12 years old, and I haven't had a real tree since her first Christmas with me- she ended up wheezing and coughing and sneezing so much and so bad and had so much problem breathing I ended up rushing her to the emergency vet thinking maybe she had some kind of lung infection. Nope, she's allergic to trees.  She's a rescue kitty from a shelter, and she has a few other health problems. 

[Dubious]

Enjoy it while you can, cause they will be banned soon 

Everyone I know has quality plastic trees now, same tree every year
I have never put up a tree at home

[WetDad]

Mrs WD wants to start growing our own trees this spring. She's ordered a dozen to plant, and then we'll keep adding more every few years so that we have a maturing crop to selectively harvest. 

[vvp39]

Anyone who wants a live tree around here can have one. There are several u-cut places within a few miles of here, and it's not unheard of just to go out into the back-country woods and find one. Douglas firs are like weeds around here...they'll grow in the gravel on the road shoulders.
Myself, I don't do a tree - haven't since a couple of years before I lost my wife. 

 

[Silverleaf]

We have a living tree, it's a Norfolk Pine.  As in Norfolk New Zealand, there is no way these wispy little office desk trees originate from Norfolk Virginia. It has a small strand of lights delicately woven through it's branches as well as tiny ornaments on its limbs. It is too small to support a star on top, equally it is too small to take up too much room as it sits in the corner of the living room. However it is a real Christmas tree and it lives from year to year. We keep it healthy with an LED grow lamp that we use for other house plants and orchids in the spare bedroom during the rest of year. Each year we move it to the living room to celebrate Christmas, each year getting bigger and supporting more ornaments. It is a real Christmas tree that we don't have to feel guilty about cutting down only to toss out to the compost pile or dump. Granted there are many things in all of our lives that suffer a disposable use but this doesn't have to be one of them. Hope this helps and gives ideas for a brighter holiday season. 

[Little Sherri]

We usually buy a tree every year, but this year got one free from a grocery store as a result of spending a certain amount. The tree we got wasn't very impressive, and we were considering getting another one, but then everyone started talking about not being able to find them anywhere, so we decided to just make the one we already had work. It's a Charlie Brown Christmas tree, basically, but we also have a giant blue spruce on the lawn that we decorate as well, so the indoor tree doesn't need to set any records. Christmas lights are also sold out almost everywhere - everyone is staying home this year, so they're spending money on decorations, apparently. 

[kasarberang]

Super late to the party here. My family used to get real trees but as my dad got older we ended up just using a fake one as the real ones were too big of a hassle, we used that big fake tree until my dad passed away, my mom doesn't celebrate christmas, it was always my dad that did all the christmas stuff for the family.

 

Now that my wife and I rent our own apartment we put up a small cat-sized tree and it works for our small family of 3. (Me my wife and our cat.) A big tree fake or otherwise would simply be too big for our tiny little apartment.

[rusty pins]

We have put up an artificial tree for probably 45 years or so, naturally different ones as one would wear out over time, but one of my fondest memories as a kid was the family going to the Christmas Tree lot one evening a couple weeks before Christmas, going down all the rows of trees and picking one out.  That was part of Christmas for me.  The tree we have had for over 20 years is a beautiful tree, 7-1/2 feet tall and perfectly shaped with lots of room to hang even the biggest ornaments between the branches.  The miniature lights stay on the tree so there is no having to string lights every year.  The nice thing as we have gotten old is we can take our time putting it up, which starts right after Thanksgiving, wait until February to take it down and not have to worry about a drying real tree that can become a fire hazard.  That's important when you work lots of long hard hours and your body is not up to decorating all in one shot without having to do it little by little.  As nice as my tree is, I sometimes miss going out looking for the perfect real tree at Christmas tree lots like I did when I was a kid.  Putting it up, making sure there was water in the antique home made stand and having my dad string the strands of old C-7 or round icicle bulbs that we had in the mid 1960's on the tree.  On the other hand, it wouldn't be the same without my parents who are gone now.  That's why you need to make good memories when you are young. 

[Cute_Kitten]

It might be easy- and free- to find some Christmas trees now that the holiday is over. Dumpster diving! But there's still New Years and most people I know leave their tree up until after the New Year....so plenty of free, second hand real trees after the holidays. ?

[~Brian~]

10 minutes ago, rusty pins said:

As nice as my tree is, I sometimes miss going out looking for the perfect real tree at Christmas tree lots like I did when I was a kid.  Putting it up, making sure there was water in the antique home made stand and having my dad string the strands of old C-7 or round icicle bulbs that we had in the mid 1960's on the tree.  On the other hand, it wouldn't be the same without my parents who are gone now.  That's why you need to make good memories when you are young. 

@rusty pins

There are times, that I worry that the old traditions we used to do as kids will be lost, simply because parents and others that we used to enjoy them with are older, and unable to do these traditions, or because our parents or other loved ones that we have had around us for so many years are no longer here to enjoy them with us.  This has happened with my grandparents:  I was lucky enough to have my moms parents, my dad's parents, and my stepdad's Mom and Aunt Marie around for so many years.  Over the years, we always had a fun night Christmas Eve, and we used to alternate going to our parents Houses on holidays.  Usually, I'd go one year with my Mom and Stepdad, and one year with my Dad and Stepmom, and we would do that every year.  Then we changed, so that I could go to Mom's Christmas Eve and Dad's Christmas Day.  I would also go to Dad's on Thanksgiving:  I don't get to see Dad as much as I used to over the years, and with COVID, its a DRAG, but we have to do what we have to do.

I have FOND memories in the Baker Family House:  we would all gather for Christmas in a 14-room 4 floor house, and we would be able to hang out, enjoy everyone's company, have the grandparents/aunts/uncles dote on us, and spoil the hell outta each of us.  My grandparents died in 2002, 2009, and 2011, but I always will have memories of sitting in Grammy and Grampas living rooms, watching the lights sparkle, and watching the kids eyes LIGHT up like STARS as they waited to open something under the tree, or as they were opening something and found out what it is:  I will NEVER forget that, and I guess, the video posted in my thread (Merry Christmas to Everyone) envisions what i think Christmas means to me:  I can say without hesitation that every year, I miss my grandparents each Christmas:  we may be separated by whatever challenges we face, or by the distances, but I always return to what Christmas means to me: That image:  and the fact that Christmas is Magical, and can make things happen:  hell, I am gonna be an UNCLE in April 2021, so that makes me happy, and I always try to keep connected with my family:  We may be separated by whatever we do, but we are just a call/zoom away

I Hope everyone had a Merry Christmas this year, even if you have/had to pull from the magic of childhood to do it:  when I think about it, it makes me feel good, because someone up there loves me, and continues to bless me with good fortune. 

Here's to a better 2021 - anything is better than the world we have now

Brian

[~Brian~]

On 12/27/2020 at 10:38 PM, kasarberang said:

Super late to the party here. My family used to get real trees but as my dad got older we ended up just using a fake one as the real ones were too big of a hassle, we used that big fake tree until my dad passed away, my mom doesn't celebrate christmas, it was always my dad that did all the christmas stuff for the family.

 

Now that my wife and I rent our own apartment we put up a small cat-sized tree and it works for our small family of 3. (Me my wife and our cat.) A big tree fake or otherwise would simply be too big for our tiny little apartment.

@kasarberang

I don't have a tree in my apartment either:  I'm lucky if I have 10 cards a year:  I used to get them, read them, display them, and then they just got too many to handle.  I used to put them up on the wall, and my door, but that was a pain.  I always SAY I want to get some rope lights that cycle, but never have to this date.  We are lucky though, that the Housing Authority allows us to decorate the Main Lobby with decorations:  This year though, we had some decorations, an EMPTY lobby floor, 2 fake trees and the lights, but with COVID-19, NO ONE is permitted to gather in the lobby, so there is NOTHING there on the floor, so it kind of feels like a warehouse: although it does remind me of my Grandparents House with the Fireplace and the mantle.

I can understand having a small tree:  Christmas itself is what you make of it:  whatever traditions you follow or continue, or start anew, or whatever you do to make it special for your "family."  My Mom is the "lynch pin" when we plan family functions, and she works with her sister to get everyone together, and we usually do that every couple years, but with the virus, we cancelled everything back in June.  Christmas is special to ME, because it feels special, and magical, and I guess I have a little bit of the "Little" @~Brian~in me still:  I don't think that has ever gone away:  It may have changed, or diminished a little, but I always try to have a positive outlook: heck:  I have little nieces that I want to be sure have a fun day - and they always keep me hopping, and recharge me when I feel like poop.

Take Care,

Brian