Pursuits
Christmas Tree Sellers Run Into Surprise Covid Costs
Freight expenses are up and workers harder to find. For some farmers, what should be a fat holiday may turn out thinner than expected.
Christmas tree vendors got a jump on sales this year as buyers looking to chase away pandemic blues started the season early. But all that demand may not necessarily translate into fat profits for sellers of evergreens or the farmers who grow them.
“We typically see a wave of buying towards the second week of December, and the day after Thanksgiving people were already out looking for a tree,” said Mike Cruzado, who runs two Christmas tree stands in Brooklyn, New York. “More people are working from home and looking to decorate their place a little sooner,” he said.