The best time to buy your Christmas tree
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Christmas tree prices peak around Thanksgiving and mostly fall thereafter, new data shows.
Why it matters: For the live tree lovers among us, timing your annual purchase is a delicate balance between prices and how long you'll get to enjoy a majestic pine or spruce in your living room.
By the numbers: The average Christmas tree went for a high of around $131 on Thanksgiving last year, then fell to about $55 by Christmas Eve.
- Just like candy after Halloween, the real bargains come after Christmas: about $50 on Dec. 30, for example.
- That's based on data from payments firm Square, which gathered info from more than 3,000 tree merchants.
Between the lines: Actual local prices depend on several factors, including the success of nearby growers' annual yields.
- Certain varieties or crops may be more vulnerable to the drought conditions plaguing much of the country this fall, for example.
If you go: Consider chopping down your own tree.
- It's usually cheaper than pre-cut, and makes for a great family day out.
The bottom line: Tree sellers moved 90% of their inventory by mid-December last year, per Square — so get moving if you don't want to end up stuck with a diminutive Charlie Brown fir.
