Why Buying a Real Tree Might Be a Little Bit Harder This Year

If you're still in the "real tree" camp, it might prove to be a little more difficult to find that perfect tree this year.

We bought a real tree for the first time in just about four years this year. We went to a place where the trees are already cut and you just choose the one you want, they bag it and toss it on the roof of the car. While the experience was definitely a little less magical than going to the actual Christmas tree farm, riding the tractor, sipping cider, and chopping down your own tree, it still got the job done. However, I couldn't help but notice that the trees were a little meh.

Even the trees that were large and "full" didn't exactly look super full or worth the money that you'd pay for one. Turns out, I wasn't just imagining it. Because of a short-supply of trees in recent years, it may make finding that perfect tree extra challenging.

According to WPRI, the supply of Christmas trees took a nosedive about 10 years ago. And because trees take between 8-10 years to grow, we're still feeling the effects of that now. In addition, certain weather patterns like snowstorms and frost in Canada in the Spring damaged lots of trees that normally get shipped down here to the Northeast.

Suppliers from here in New England all the way to Hawaii have been experiencing shortages and scrambling to get last minute deliveries to make it through the holiday season. The major snowstorms happening here in the U.S. and Canada have also slowed shipments of trees.

However, you should still be able to find a wonderful tree for your home - just expect to pay about $75 for it, especially for the bigger trees.