4 tips to save green on live Christmas trees

Seven more days ’til Christmas. Do you have a Christmas tree?

I couldn’t believe it, but some folks don’t.

When I was younger, the tree went up somewhere between the day after Thanksgiving and the first week of December and it came down right after the New Year.

But apparently that is a modern practice. Historically, Christmas trees were put up 12 days before Christmas or on Christmas Eve — which turns out to be perfect for bargain hunters looking for the best deals.

Russ Jordan, owner of Wee Three Trees in Fayetteville says they do about one-third of their usual volume in the week leading up to Christmas.  Customers include families who didn’t expect kids to come home for the holiday and need a last minute tree, customers who set up their tree on Christmas Eve and yes, bargain hunters.

Right now, you can find some pretty good discounts on live and artificial trees.

Discounts on artificial trees are creeping up to 50 percent while pre-cut live trees come with slightly lower discounts.

Wee Three Trees is offering 30 percent off all Frasier Firs putting them at about $7 a foot.  Fraser’s tend to be very popular, says Jordan, but other trees including Carolina Sapphire, Leyland and Blue Ice Cypress are very fragrant, keep well and can be had for $6 per foot.

Here are some of Jordan’s tips to squeeze last minute savings out of your Christmas tree purchase:

1. Buy a tree that is more open. People look for really dense trees, but more open trees are better for hanging ornaments and typically cost less, says Jordan.
2. Don’t try to save money by cutting the tree too short. “It won’t fit in the stand!” Jordan says. Be sure to purchase your tree from a  seller who will give you the handle for free.
3. Take proper care of your tree and keep it in water to prevent it from drying out.
4. Don’t be afraid to ask for freebies. “We give a box of lights or a baby tree that customers can plant themselves,” says Jordan who sums up the last week of tree selling as follows: “The longer you wait, the more deals you can make.”

Check our map of  Christmas Tree farms for more sellers who may be offering deals.

When do you put up your Christmas tree? Would you put off getting a live tree if you could save money?

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– Nedra Rhone, for the Atlanta Bargain Hunter blog