While some may wait until mid-December for the HST break on Christmas trees, many are decorating earlier.
The beginning of December is a busy time at Christmas tree farms and tree lots.
It’s an annual tradition for Daniel Arnold and Anne Carty, along with their daughter Vivienne, who were picking out the perfect fresh Christmas tree at the Fallowfield Tree Farm in southwest Ottawa on Friday.
“I love the smell. It’s also good memories. Nostalgia,” said Carty.
“You got a whole row of trees behind us here. You got kittens running around, you’re out in the country. It’s, you know, a little more atmosphere,” said Arnold.
The farm has many family-fun activities, and is a popular destination – especially on weekends.
“Yes, it’s really fun,” added Vivienne.
Arnold said they spent “about $100 dollars for the tree.”
Despite rising costs, Fallowfield Tree Farm owner Ken Stuyt said the prices have not gone up this year.
“We’re about $14 a foot. I would like to increase it, but we did that during Covid. We had the extra expenses, fuel and labor and everything, but we’re going to we’re going to hold the same price throughout this year.”
At Parkdale Market Christmas Trees, the prices have also stayed the same, said Joe Riopelle.
“We like our customers coming back. We don’t like scaring them, you know?”
He said Christmas trees at Parkdale Market range in price, depending on size and type. A 6-foot tall balsam tree costs about $75. An 8-foot is about $100. An 8-foot Fraser costs $140 according to Riopelle.
“Frasers are a lot more expensive; just they hold their needles a lot better.”
Victoria bought a smaller tree, “about four or five feet,” for $50 at the Parkdale Market on Friday. “I wanted something small. I lost my favorite pet this year. Oh, and he was a very small, scraggly looking dog. So, I kind of just looked for a tree that reminded me of him,” she tells CTV News.
While heading to a farm or market can be a fun experience, which many make a day out of, some grocery stores and big box retailers also sell fresh Christmas trees.
At the South Keys Home Depot location, fresh trees start at just below $30 (for a 5-6 foot tree), while 6- to 9-foot trees cost between $55 and $85.
You can also go artificial.
“Well, right now with Black Friday, our entry level is at $98 – great value, and it goes up to just over $400,” said Jana Ash, Assistant Store Manager at South Keys.
Trees as a fundraiser
The Royal is kicking off their annual tree fundraiser on Saturday, where trees start at $70.
“All proceeds raised go to supporting patient care at The Royal, and we look to raise probably somewhere around $55,000,” said Annemarie Nicholson, director of volunteer services at the Royal.
She said trees are expected to sell out in a week.
How will Trump’s tariffs affect the Christmas tree industry?
Canada’s Christmas Tree industry may get a shake up next season, if U.S. president-elect Donald Trump makes good on his 25 per cent tariff threat.
“We’re just on the fine line of being too expensive for the people that that still go with a natural Christmas tree. They might be switching to artificial Christmas trees,” said Charles Vaillancourt, president of the Quebec Christmas Tree Growers Association.
Vaillancourt is also a Christmas tree farm owner, and said about 65 to 70 per cent of his trees are exported to the United States.
“I am very lucky to have a market in Canada. I know some people that are almost 100 per cent selling their products in the United States. And those guys are going to have a big, big shock, if ever this 25 per cent tax passes.”