A few years ago, the trend in Christmas Trees was to go artificial and retro. Since, the pandemic began though, the desire for a real tree has been illuminated. The American Christmas Tree Association is warning there is a shortage of Christmas trees this year, real and artificial.

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Photo by Oliver Dumoulin on Unsplash
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Michigan is the third-leading producer of Christmas trees in the nation. Even here in the mitten state, you'll likely pay more for a tree and the later in the season you go hunting, the harder it will be for you to get a tree.

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Photo by Sean Foster on Unsplash
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Experts say there are a couple of main reasons why this happening.

It takes 8 to 10 years to grow a Christmas tree, and fewer were planted a decade ago when we were coming out of a recession.

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Photo by Nand Shah on Unsplash
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Michigan State University Professor of Horticulture and Forestry, Bert Cregg said that the Great Recession in the late 2000s is actually partially to blame for the present-day shortage.

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Photo by Raimond Klavins on Unsplash
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The U.S. Department of Agriculture released a report showing that Christmas tree acreage decreased by 24 percent between 2015 and 2020.

Wildfires, drought, and heat waves rocked the Pacific Northwest, which devastated that region’s Christmas tree farms.

Climate change and labor shortages are also playing a factor.

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Photo by Christin Hume on Unsplash
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Jami Warner, Executive Director of the ACTA, said in a statement on the organization’s website,

"In 2021, we’re seeing a variety of trends influencing artificial and live Christmas tree supply across the country, and are encouraging consumers to find their tree early this year to avoid shortage impacts. If I can give one piece of advice to consumers right now, it is to find and buy your Christmas tree early.”

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Photo by Thought Catalog on Unsplash
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Experts are saying it may be harder than usual to find an artificial one this year, too. Supply chain disruptions have made countless everyday products scarce, from cars and toilet paper to ketchup packets. Artificial Christmas trees haven’t escaped unscathed.

Photo by Sean Foster on Unsplash
Photo by Sean Foster on Unsplash
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Whether you want an artificial or real tree, the advice is to buy before Thanksgiving or you might be without a Tannenbaum.

Photo by Sean Foster on Unsplash
Photo by Sean Foster on Unsplash
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