COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa. (KMTV) — You might be ready to do some "Rockin' around the Christmas Tree" but here is something to keep in mind if you haven't purchased one already.
Christmas trees are looking more expensive. The Real Christmas Tree Board reports the majority of growers expect an increase between 5% and 15%.
It's something devoted Christmas tree buyers like Becky Speer and Steven Ramer are noticing.
"We got one last year and it was really expensive for already being cut. And it really didn't last very long," Speer said.
Last year, they paid about $75 which is a big increase compared to when they were kids when they would buy it for about $35.
"We decided to go the next best thing and go get our own cut," Ramer said.
Why is this happening? Stan Obermueller is a co-owner of Windmill Pines, a farm in Seward. He points to drought as a cause.
In the 1980s, he sold trees for $3 a foot. Now, they're selling for up to $15 a foot. He estimates his prices over the last few years have gone up 15-20%.
"Last year, we went into winter with a deficit of moisture and then we had no snow cover at all. So, the soil continued to dry out over the winter and we had gale-force winds and widely varying temperatures. None of that good for growing fir trees especially," Obermueller said.
This year, farmer David Dappen in Council Bluffs is increasing the price of his trees by $2 a foot, pointing to inflation and high costs of supplies.
"You get diesel fuel costs, which I run my tractors. Fertilizer that I use. I haven't used it for the last couple of years. It's just doubled. So, I'm just getting by," Dappen said.
Despite the higher costs, some customers say nothing beats the magic of buying a real Christmas tree.
"It's a more old-fashioned Christmas," Ramer said.
"I grew up with real trees, that's why it's so good for me," Speer said.
The National Christmas Tree Association reports approximately 25-30 million real Christmas trees are sold each year.
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