SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — Getting ready for the holidays can get pricey, especially when it comes to decorations. But there are ways to bring home some holiday cheer while staying within a budget.
It's the time of year where Christmas tree lots are popping up in parking lots, each filled with live Christmas trees ready to be driven off the lot and brought home.
This year, you can expect to pay between $80 to $100 for a live Christmas tree. That price can vary — it can be a little cheaper or more expensive depending on the size and type.
"It's a huge process that people don't quite understand," said Mike Osborne, co-owner of Pinery Christmas Trees.
Osborne explains why live Christmas trees cost this much.
"These start up in Oregon and Washington, which is where all of our stuff from the Pacific Northwest come. They start as little seedlings, they cost money every single year to take care of them and cultivate them," Osborne said.
The trees are then cut and airlifted out of there, bundled up and driven by truck to San Diego.
But there are ways to stay within a budget while bringing a tree home. You can choose a smaller tree that will cost you about $40.
"They start at tabletops — we call them tabletops because you can put them on your table. They're about 2 to 4 feet tall — they're gorgeous and they're cute," said Rick Mitchell, co-owner of Pinery Christmas Trees.
Or you can opt to buy a Christmas wreath made up of trimmed Christmas tree branches. Those start at just over $20 to about $50.
There's also the option of buying a fake tree that you can use for about 6 to 10 years. But this year, be ready to shell out a little more.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the majority of the artificial Christmas trees come from China, and you have to factor in tariffs on Chinese imports in costs.
The American Christmas Tree Association says fake trees can cost you just over $350 this year, which is more than last year's average cost of just under $300.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
