Christmas tree demand remains high despite inflation

Two people carry a Christmas tree in a yard of Christmas trees
Larry Gurnee carries a $55 Christmas tree he selected with his wife, Libby Gurnee, background, at a Rotary Club tree sale, on Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2022, in South Portland, Maine. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

For all the worries about inflation and the economy, Americans aren’t scrimping on a centerpiece of many celebrations this holiday season: the Christmas tree.

Retailers from Home Depot and Lowes to mom-and-pop operations raised their prices on trees — but people are still buying them.

Some Christmas tree growers fretted over external factors — high fuel, fertilizer and labor costs — only to rediscover that holiday greenery is largely inflation-proof, even as Americans cut back on retail spending last month.