PRICES FOR REAL Christmas trees are mostly staying the same this year despite cost inflation in the wider economy. 

With the price of everything going up, The Journal checked whether Christmas tree prices are following the direction of grocery bills and other household expenditure.

Our survey found many sellers are keeping prices the same across the country. Those who are upping prices for some sizes of tree are doing so by just a fiver for the most part. 

Christmas tree growers told us their costs have gone up in recent years, but they’re keen to try and keep real trees an attractive option for households. As one grower told us – ‘once a customer is lost to buying a plastic tree, they’re gone for good.’

However, growers are leaving the Irish industry every year, so tighter supply is likely to bring higher prices in the coming two or three years.

Joe Flynn, chair of the Irish Christmas Tree Growers Association, said: “I absolutely agree the prices in the garden centres have not raised significantly this year – maybe a fiver.”

“At the moment, the supply of Christmas trees is adequate for Ireland and it’s just our surplus that is exported. When they are much scarcer, they will go up in price.”

Increases

We found some prices have gone up a bit this year.

Lidl’s real Christmas trees were €24.99 last year, according to a news report at the time, but this year that price is only available for customers who use the Lidl Plus loyalty app. For everyone else, the trees will be priced at €29.99. Lidl told us the Lidl Plus price will be available until Christmas Eve.

Cork Christmas Trees, one of the city’s biggest sellers, with a base at Centre Park Road in the city as well as its farm in Ovens, Co Cork, told us its prices will increase by €5.

Christmas tree grower Fintan Riordan told us the increase comes after eight years of keeping prices flat, despite some of his competitors increasing theirs.

Cost pressures meant an increase was unavoidable, Riordan said. He said he hoped that providing services such as drilling the end of the tree would help to provide people with good value.

“You don’t want to scare people away from the real tree, but look, we had to do it,” Riordan said.

“Costs kept going up every year, I was the only person who didn’t put up the price of a tree and I just felt I had no choice. It’s been a unique eight years with inflation,” Riordan said.

Galway Christmas Trees near Athenry has kept some of its trees at the same price, but will charge an additional €5 for larger trees this year. They told us the higher cost of machinery hire and other inputs is behind the increase.

Many prices have stayed the same

Prices at many popular Christmas tree sellers have not increased this year compared with last.

We heard from one happy customer of Wades Christmas Tree Farm, a family business near Swords in Co Dublin, who paid €60 for their tree this year, the same as last year.

Prices remain €50-70 for 7-9 foot trees at Limerick Christmas Trees in Ardagh this year. Prices are the same year-on-year at Cork Christmas Tree Farm in Inniscarra also.

Prices for a Noble Fir from Irish Christmas Trees in Miltown, Dublin 6 are the same as last year on the company’s website.

Prices for a Nordmann Fir from Kavanagh’s Christmas Trees in Newtownmountkennedy in Co Wicklow are also the same year-on-year.

Christy Kavanagh said: “We have to try to be responsible to our customers. We could do with a price increase, but with the economic situation it’s not the right thing for our customers.”

Christmas tree growers advise people to take care of a real Christmas tree by keeping it well watered and positioning it away from radiators, fires or stoves – this is a fire hazard as well as bad for the tree. A tree stand you can pour water into should be kept topped up to ensure the tree keeps taking up water – don’t let the water run out.

Unless the tree is freshly cut when you buy it, it’s advised to make a fresh cut across the bottom of the trunk when you get it home to help the tree take up water.