How Much Your Christmas Tree Will Cost This Year
Let’s be honest: The holidays are already an expensive time of year, even when you’re watching what you spend. But even if you’re great at finding deals on gifts and groceries required for all those holiday meals, the one corner you can’t really cut is with your Christmas tree. With the price of practically everything continuing to rise, it might be easy to assume that you’ll be shelling out more when you finally head to the lot or store to pick one up. But according to new data, how much your Christmas tree will cost in 2025 might not be all that different from last year.
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How much will Christmas trees cost this year?
In a Sept. 18 press release from the Real Christmas Tree Board, a national research and promotional group, survey responses from 43 wholesale growers (representing roughly two-thirds of the market) revealed that conditions are mostly similar to 2024. Ultimately, 84 percent of respondents said they would not be raising their wholesale prices.
“Growers are prepared, supply is strong, and most are holding wholesale prices steady this year,” Marsha Gray, the board’s executive director, said in the press release. “This reflects the consistency of the real Christmas tree industry and the commitment of growers to ensuring that there’s a real Christmas tree for everyone who wants one.”
Instead of a sharp increase, the vast majority of responding growers reported a 5 percent increase in their input costs, which is roughly in line with what they experienced last year. Still, they said they aren’t planning on handing this slight increase along to big box retailers, seasonal lots, and garden centers that sell directly to customers.
Will tariffs affect Christmas tree prices this year?
Besides ongoing stubborn inflation, part of the concern about higher prices this year stems from tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump that add hefty fees to many imported items. As of 2024, 2.3 million Christmas trees were shipped into the U.S. from Canada each season (which represents roughly 10 percent of the market), while current tariff rates currently sit from 20 to 35 percent on items coming from the north, as of Nov. 7, 2025.
But there’s good news for anyone hoping to fill their home with the smell of an evergreen tree this year. According to the Real Christmas Tree Board, Canadian-grown Christmas trees are classified as an agricultural commodity under the USMCA free trade agreement, exempting them from additional fees.
However, that doesn’t guarantee you’ll be spending exactly the same. Retailers, lots, and big box stores ultimately decide the prices that customers will pay, which could mean a slight increase in some instances.
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Are real Christmas trees more popular than fake trees?
Of course, those who are looking to save money (and considerable time each year) will make the argument that investing in an artificial Christmas tree can be more beneficial in the long run. However, the vast majority of customers appear to prize authenticity over convenience when it comes to this essential holiday decoration.
In a survey of 1,500 people, 85 percent of respondents said that having a real Christmas tree in their home “brings joy to everyone who sees and smells them,” according to a press release from the Real Christmas Tree Board. Even more (89 percent) said the smell alone made their home feel more festive, while 85 percent and 84 percent said the authentic evergreens enhanced their holiday experience and helped them relax, respectively.
And don’t worry too hard about getting what you’re looking for: 98 percent of respondents said they had found a tree they loved last year, and 91 percent reported having no trouble finding a place to purchase it.