CINCINNATI — It's time to deck the halls, and Cincinnati residents are shopping at Caracole’s annual Christmas Tree sale. 

What You Need To Know

  • World AIDS Day is Dec. 1

  • Caracole is a nonprofit AIDS service organization in Cincinnati

  • Caracole has an annual Christmas Tree sale to raise funding for their operation

  • It sold more than 75 trees on the first day of the sale
  • Caracole is hosting a virtual World Aids Day event on its Facebook page

Caracole is a nonprofit AIDS service organization in Cincinnati and Megan Green is the Community Investment Coordinator. She said the tree sale is a great way people can get involved during the holidays. 

“All of the proceeds of the sale go to Caracole in our mission of positively changing lives in the fight against HIV/AIDS,” Green said. 

For one family picking up a tree, it’s their first Christmas with their 10-month old son Julien. But buying a tree from Caracole is a family tradition that’s in its third or fourth year. 

“I think it’s important to be able to make a purchase that also happens to benefit something else,” Christmas tree shopper Aurore said. “And in this case, we’re a big supporter of the Caracole Foundation and what they are going. And this is kind of our way of giving back.”  

Caracole’s Christmas trees, garland and wreaths are sold on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at 4138 Hamilton Ave. in Cincinnati, until their inventory runs out for the season. Hours for the sale are

  • Dec. 4: 1- 4 p.m.
  • Dec. 5-6: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

They started with 230 trees this year and sold more than 75 trees on the first day of the sale. 

“We always say that when you’re buying a tree from our tree farm that it’s more than just a tree,” Green said. “It’s going back to help a person who is fighting HIV/AIDS and living with it every day. It means so much more to purchase a tree here, and it’s just a good way to balance the holiday spirit.” 

Adam Reilly is the Prevention Manager for Caracole. He said raising awareness on World AIDS Day is extremely important because there still is a stigma surrounding HIV/AIDS. 

“The stigma around HIV, which is really discrimination, is that people are really afraid of people with HIV for no reason,” Reilly said. “Other than they don’t know how the virus works. I think if people of all ages can be educated on how the virus spreads, how it’s treated, it’s not that scary of a thing. We know what we need to do to protect ourselves from it. And we also know what we need to do if you’re living with it to stay healthy.” 

Reilly said Caracole is hosting several virtual events on World AIDS Day — one being a history and importance talk on Facebook, and the other being a musical and memorial event to commemorate those who have died from AIDS-related illness.
They are also holding a personal Care Item Drive, where more info can be found on their Facebook page.

Reilly said the importance of getting tested is a big takeaway from World AIDS day. 

“If a person is an adult and is sexually active they should be getting tested once a year,” he said. “You could get that done at your regular doctors appointments, when you get a physical if you do that every year, but you have to request it. Or you could come somewhere like Caracole and get it done for free. Which all over Ohio we have organizations like Caracole who provide these services for free.” 

He said the annual Christmas Tree Sale is big help toward keeping the doors at Caracole open, and providing those free services to the public. 

“Everything that we provide is free,” Reilly said. “So any kind of grants or fundraising or events that we can have to maintain that free service for the people in our community that need it is really important.”

For more information on Caracole, visit their website at caracole.org.