Tree retailers are having a spirited season this year, as Americans staying closer to home due to the coronavirus pandemic are turning the holiday spirit up a notch.
Traffic and sales this year to tree outlets have been anything but ho-ho-hum. Merchants are reporting a big season this year that started early and has continued to accelerate into the early part of December.
If consumers are planning on being Grinches this, you certainly can't tell it by tree activity.
"People have the time at home this year. They're traveling less, of course, so they're at home and they really want something to spark their mood because of the Covid stress that everybody's under," said Doug Hundley, seasonal spokesman for the National Christmas Tree Association. "The Christmas spirit is a big force this time of year, and people know that the more they put into it, the more they get out of it."
Tree sales are up 29% this so far in 2020, according to a survey of retailers done by Evercore ISI. There's also evidence that people are getting larger trees and buying more home decorations.
