Staff photo by C.B. Schmelter / Matt, left, and Kristy Wilcut search for a Christmas tree at Weaver Tree Farms on Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2020 in Chattanooga, Tenn.Matt Wilcut grew up in a family that regularly decorated with artificial trees, and in his married life with his wife Kristy, Matt was eager to celebrate Christmas with a real tree.
“I love the smell and the look of a real tree,” Matt said while shopping this week for a recently cut evergreen at the Weaver Tree Farms retail outlet in Chattanooga.
“I’m nostalgic and real trees just seem more like Christmas,” Kristy added.
The Wilcuts are among more than 25 million Americans who will buy a real evergreen tree this year to celebrate Christmas. Although the pandemic is limiting many traditional holiday celebrations and events, Christmas tree growers and merchants are seeing a more jolly season that started early and has continued to accelerate into the early part of December.
“We’re seeing a lot of people who are getting their first real Christmas tree this year,” said Dan Raulston, owner of the Raulston Acres Christmas Tree Farm just south of Rock Springs, Georgia. “People have been cooped up all year and they want to get outside and make it more of a family event, and buying a real tree is a great holiday tradition.”