Grace period for Christmas trees: freshly felled for the festive season

For the Nordmann firs and blue spruces in Saxony's Christmas tree plantations that are ready for harvesting, the grace period is running out: in three months, the first of them will adorn offices, stores and homes. But the trees could be a little more expensive than last year. On the other hand, the Christmas tree from local production scores points for freshness and short distances. In many places, buyers will once again be able to pick up a saw themselves to harvest their tree. For some families, this is already a firm tradition in the run-up to Christmas.

While other federal states are reporting damage caused by frost and drought, Robert Kleinstäuber is relaxed this year. The late frost only had a minimal impact on his plantation and not on the crop that was ready to harvest, he explains. It was dry in the spring, which could damage new plantings. "But we water selectively."

"We have enough trees"

Kleinstäuber grows Christmas trees on an area of around 30 hectares in Bad Gottleuba-Bergießhübel (Saxon Switzerland-Eastern Ore Mountains district): Nordmann firs, blue spruces, pines and exotic species such as Colorado firs. They are bought as seedlings and then grow into Christmas trees in ten to twelve years. "We market 90 percent of them directly." There are also retailers who buy from him. Sales start on 1 Advent and continue until Christmas Eve. "We have enough trees, there won't be a shortage."

The state-owned company Sachsenforst also sells Christmas trees every year. They come from special areas, such as under power lines, where the trees are not allowed to grow too large anyway, explains Marco Horn from Sachsenforst. No fertilizer is used, and the trees are not pruned as they are in professional plantations. Around 20,000 Christmas trees are sold by the forest districts themselves every year. The whole thing is a side business and is primarily used for public relations, Horn emphasizes.

Association recommends higher prices

If producers follow the recommendation of the Federal Association of Christmas Tree and Cut Greenery Producers, the trees will be slightly more expensive this year. The association has raised the price range by one euro to between 23 and 30 euros per meter of Nordmann fir. However, prices vary regionally and are generally higher in urban areas than in the countryside.

Sachsenforst speaks of constant prices. A blue spruce up to two meters high costs around 20 euros, for a Nordmann fir you have to pay around 10 euros more. Kleinstäuber does not yet want to commit to this year's exact prices for his trees.

Meanwhile, many customers no longer want to wait until Christmas Eve to put a Christmas tree in their home. Instead, trees are increasingly decorating living rooms during the Advent season. Even a good, fresh tree does not manage to cut a good figure from the first Advent until Christmas Eve, Kleinstäuber emphasizes. This is when Nordmann firs often turn brown and leave their branches hanging, while the needles of blue spruce trees start to drop. Some customers come to him for a second time shortly before Christmas Eve to buy a fresh tree for the festive season.