‘Come as soon as you can’: Triangle Christmas trees lots are running low, selling out
When Heather Hindin drove by her standard Christmas tree lot Sunday afternoon, she thought the trees looked scarce but didn’t think it would be possible that they were low on trees already.
But she didn’t give 2020 enough credit.
Later that night, Hindin, her husband and their three children, ages 7 to 14, arrived at the TROSA Christmas tree lot near Northgate Mall in Durham and found a sorry sight.
“We were like, ‘Oh my gosh, they are actually out of trees,’” Hindin told The News & Observer and The Herald-Sun.
And after visiting three more places that typically sell trees, the family struck out at each one. The two youngest children started to worry about a Christmas without a tree.
“I was like, ‘Don’t worry about it, I will find us a tree,’” said Hindin, 44, of Durham, even if she had to drive to the mountains.
Their experience is part of a trend unfolding across the nation, not just in North Carolina, the second-largest Christmas tree producing state in the nation.
During the pandemic more people seem to be maximizing the Christmas cheer by buying a real tree and decorating earlier than usual, said Jennifer Greene, executive director of the North Carolina Christmas Tree Association.
“I think it is just that eagerness to have some normalcy and joy,” Greene said. “I think the majority of people I have spoken to are definitely finishing up early.”
Down to one lot, 60 trees
As of Monday, TROSA, which opened six lots in Durham, Chapel Hill and Morrisville, had consolidated at one location, Westgate Drive in Durham, said Jeff Stern, TROSA’s director of business operations.
Consolidating to one location isn’t unusual, but it typically occurs Dec. 15 or later, he said. On Tuesday morning, the lot had just 60 trees, which were mainly 6 feet or shorter.
Other sellers and farms, including Jordan Lake Christmas Tree Farm in Apex, Smith’s Family Fun Farm in Hillsborough and Back Achers Christmas Tree Farm in Raleigh have sold out.
Back Achers sold out of trees on Sunday, said Brad Barick, and the farm can’t get any more.
“My Dad started the farm in 1983, we have never, ever run out of trees this early,” Barick said. “We sold out, basically, three weeks before Christmas.”
But not everyone is sold out, according to Facebook posts and interviews. Representatives from Perkins Orchard in Durham (24 left as of Tuesday morning) and Cranberry Tree Farm, which has three locations, said as of Monday night, they still had trees.
On Monday, Phillips Farms of Cary posted on its Facebook page that staff were on their way back from the mountains with 200 trees.
Lisa Lincoln, an administrative assistant at the State Farmers Market, tells people who call asking about trees that the market still has some but “come as soon as you can.”
“They are not running low yet,” she said. “But definitely getting there.”
About half of the 10 tree vendors have closed down after selling, she said.
“Supply is getting short and selection is not as good as we get further along,” said Sam McIver, the market manager.
The market is also getting phone calls everyday asking if they are selling trees wholesale, McIver said. It’s only retail at this point.
A couple of farmers told McIver that they were cutting a few more trees Monday, but they don’t have that much to cut.
“I think we are good through the weekend, but after that I don’t know what it is going to look like,” he said.
Christmas tree shortage
A number of factors have led to sellers running out of trees sooner, sellers and Greene said.
In general, sellers have been dealing with a Christmas tree shortage for years as growers are working to replenish stock that takes years to develop, they said. About 96% of the 4.1 million trees the state produces annually come out of six mountain counties, Greene said.
Christmas tree prices are up this year, Greene said, but that is partly due to the industry catching up after not keeping up with inflation, Greene said. On average, sales appear to be up from 20% to 30% compared to last year, she said.
When Hindin and her family got home Monday night, she sought help by posting her experience in the Durham parents’ Facebook group SoDu Parents Posse.
After striking out at some of the suggestions, she drove by a tree lot in the Woodcroft area that still had an extensive amount of trees.
Shortly thereafter, Hindin and her two daughters went to pick up the tree during their lunch at virtual school. While they were there, another woman raced onto the tree lot, expressing excitement to find a tree.
Hindin said that they typically spend about $90 on trees, but the one they bought on Monday was $150.
“My step-daughter was concerned about it,” Hindin said. “I said, ‘You know what, at this point it doesn’t matter. I promised you guys a tree. I got you a tree.’”
This story was originally published December 9, 2020 at 9:34 AM with the headline "‘Come as soon as you can’: Triangle Christmas trees lots are running low, selling out."
