LOUISVILLE, Ky. — As the holiday season approaches, many Kentuckians are out buying Christmas trees.

According to the National Christmas Tree Association, about 25 to 30 million real Christmas trees are sold each year in the U.S.

What You Need To Know

  • Irvin Book has been selling trees for about 50 years

  • Book says a drought in Wisconsin affected tree farms a few years ago, which impacted tree supply

  • There is still a shortage of large firs

  • Book is hopeful the supply is getting back on track in a few years

Louisville tree seller Irvin Books says the Christmas tree business has not always been a Christmas miracle. 

“There are a lot of years there for probably ten, 15 years [that] farmers never had a raise on the price. And I think a lot of small farmers went out of business and, and guys didn’t plant as many and, and, you know, and a corn crop where you can get it back next year, it takes eight or ten years to get trees back to where it needs to be,” Book said. 

Book has been selling trees for about 50 years but took over a new lot a few years ago. He says a drought in Wisconsin affected tree farms a few years ago, which affected tree supply.

Now, there is a lack of large trees available to sell — those taller than 10 feet tall. But, the firs and the seasonal pine smell are more abundant than in previous years, according to Book.

“This year, the quality is a lot better. And you can tell it’s making the turn, I think is I think the worst is over,” Book explained. “But, I think there’s plenty of smaller trees in the pipeline now, but bigger trees are probably going to be an issue for a few more years.”

Ashley Baldini and her family come to Book’s every year to pick out their Christmas staple. 

“We really enjoy the smell and it just brings Christmas into your home,” Baldini says. 

Getting a live Christmas tree was a family tradition when Baldini was growing up and she hopes to pass down the festivity to her daughters.

“Whenever I was a kid, we would go get live Christmas trees and every year and we would kind of decorate them. And always we had a tradition of like pizza or something while we’re decorating and hot chocolate. And so hopefully, yeah, it would be nice to see them continue [the] tradition,” she said.

Book is optimistic the tree supply is on the right track. “I think it’s coming back, but it’s still going to take a couple years to get it to where it needs to be,”he speculated.

 Book’s Christmas Trees is open until Dec. 18 or until supplies last on Christmas Tree Lane near Waterfront Park. 

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