MEQUON — The holiday season is flying by, but there's still time to find the perfect Christmas tree for your home. While the peak shopping rush has settled down at local tree farms, customers are still showing up to pick out their seasonal centerpiece.
Watch: Real tree lovers share how to find a Christmas tree this season
At Trees for Less Nursery in Mequon, owner Sam O'Malley is celebrating another successful year.
"It's been great. Another record year for us," O'Malley said.
Parker Ratzburg was among the customers still shopping for trees this weekend. For him and his family, getting a real Christmas tree is an annual tradition tied to a special date.
"Today is actually my birthday, and we always kind of get it right around my birthday," Ratzburg said.
The Ratzburg family budgets $80 to $100 for their tree each year, and they're committed to the real deal over artificial alternatives.
"I've always enjoyed the smell of the Christmas trees," Ratzburg said. "I mean, it's just a lot more homey feeling, and you can't get that out of a fake one."
Artificial trees are expected to cost an estimated 10% to 20% more this season compared to last year due to increased tariff costs, according to several major U.S. importers.
Meanwhile, the Real Christmas Tree Board reports an abundance of live tree supply nationwide.
For tree farmers like O'Malley, this means stabilized pricing.
"Not a huge increase this year, as opposed to years past, which is, you know, another good thing for the natural tree farmers versus the artificial trees and the tariffs. So I was happy to see that prices kind of stabilized, yeah," O'Malley said.
At Trees for Less Nursery, prices range from $50 to $120, depending on the size and quality of the tree. However, savvy shoppers can find deals by comparing prices at different locations:
- Sanfelippo's City Center Market offers cut-your-own trees for $50 for any tree under 5 feet, plus $10 for each additional foot during weekends
- Sugar Creek Tree Farm in Burlington has 7-foot trees for $85
- Menards and Home Depot offer trees over 7 feet for under $75
For those choosing real trees, proper care is essential to maximize their lifespan. O'Malley recommends giving trees a fresh cut before placing them in the stand and using lukewarm water initially.
"We tell all of our customers will give it the fresh cut, or if they can give it a fresh cut before they get it in their stand, if it's not going to go in the stand right away, and then lukewarm water to start, and then keep them watered, they drink a ton of water to start, especially for the first, like week or two," O'Malley said.
Wisconsin ranks 5th in the nation for real Christmas tree production, and this year's abundant supply means plenty of options remain available. However, O'Malley notes this will be their last weekend open before inventory starts getting thin on the biggest trees.
For Parker Ratzburg, who walked away with a new fir for his home, the choice between real and artificial is clear.
"You get the great smell of it. And I just don't know how anything else can beat it," Ratzburg said.
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