Despite high Christmas tree prices, families get ready to celebrate the holiday season

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — While many people may still be full from Thanksgiving dinner, some are already getting a jump on their Christmas tree shopping.

With the price of Christmas trees up, it has many people asking where's the money? 

According to the National American Christmas Tree Association, the average price of a Christmas tree is up 10% more than last year, with trees averaging between $80 to $100 this season.

It's a price range that  Patrick Abernethy was expecting.

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“We have a general idea we're going to pay around $100 to $150 depending on what we find exactly," Patrick Abernethy, a Charlotte resident, said. " You make the sacrifice” 

At the Darrell Simpson Family, Mountain Greens Inc. tree lot on Kings Drive in Midtown, families gathered to find the perfect evergreen.

‘We’ve been here since 1941," Kevin Pressley, the owner, said. 

According to Pressley, this year they've absorbed any extra costs to keep prices steady.

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“We made it our goal this year to keep it where it was," Pressley said. 

But he recalls the days when things were cheaper.

“I remember selling trees when they were $15, $20,” Pressley said.  

It's important to note you may find prices higher for certain kinds of trees, but there are ways to save like buying a shorter Christmas tree.

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But for families like Anna Hickernell, the experience is priceless. 

“Walking around, feeling out the different trees, seeing what's right for your family," Hickernell said. "The money's either going to be there or it's not going to be there but he’s not going to get these memories again.” 

Contact Lexi Wilson at lwilson@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.

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