Getting a Christmas tree might be a problem this year. Between the drought, pandemic supply-chain issues, and wild fires a perfect storm is shaping up that may affect your ability to get a Christmas tree this year.
Growers of Christmas trees are lamenting the high-heat summer weather that is affecting their tree farms. The New York Times reports that Oregon, one of the largest producers of Christmas trees in the nation, is especially hard hit. But the recent “heat dome” over the Pacific Northwest is affecting all growers in the region:
The story for California Christmas tree growers is similar – if not worse. Because of the drought, and the heat, growers are concerned for having Christmas trees for the next several years.
In other parts of the country the worries for Christmas trees in 2021 range from not having employees available to cut down trees to not having shipments of new trees arrive before Christmas. The supply-chain woes were a problem last Christmas with the pandemic but it appears shipping concerns have not yet cleared up – and time is running short.
Demand for Christmas trees is expected to remain high, mostly due to the inability to supply new trees last year as projected.
Supply chain and shipping issues are also increasing prices. Toy stores are already saying they are short and Matel, one of the largest makers of toys, has warned of significant price increases due to the shortage of materials and cost overruns that were not anticipated.
In fact, some experts are saying that Christmas shopping should happen earlier this year because nearly every category of products related to Christmas could be in short supply.
Even pumpkin this year could be hard to fine, either fresh or canned. Weather is again the culprit. In the west, it’s the drought. In the east, it is all the moisture combined with the high heat that is killing the pumpkin crops. Weather has already killed crops in Connecticut, Illinois and Alabama. Smaller crops are expect all throughout the west.
Underscoring all these concerns is the labor shortage seemingly affecting retailers from coast-to-coast.
It all adds up to Christmas 2021 being a season to really be prepared.