Now that Thanksgiving has passed, many people are already looking ahead to Christmas and they're ready to pick out the perfect -- real -- tree.
Nicholas and Kelsey Seymour are helping to fuel the boom.
The Seymours were on the hunt Monday in Del Mar at Pinery Christmas Trees trying to sniff out the perfect douglas fir. They’re hoping to make it a merry, memorable first Christmas for their daughter Arlee.
"This is the earliest we've shopped for a tree. Definitely early this year,” said the Seymours. “We’re a little more excited since it's her first Christmas and it gives us something to do in the evenings."
The Seymours are part of a trend of early shoppers.
“Everyone has been out early. It’s not even December 1st yet and it's been crazy! Really! Really! Busy," said Mike Osborne, owner of Pinery Christmas Trees.
With five locations from Murrieta to the South Bay, people have shared their holiday stories.
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“Since they're going to be home during the holidays due to COVID, they want to decorate, they want to do something, they want a live tree and want it to smell Christmassy," explained Osborne.
That could lead to families spending more green on trees this year than last year when 20 million real trees were sold.
This year 21% of people who had an artificial tree or no tree at all plan on buying a real tree, according to a survey from the Christmas Tree Promotion Board.
“COVID sucks, but Christmas cheer has to stay up and alive,” said a tree shopper named Kyle.
With a little help from baby Arlee, the Seymours found their perfect tree and let out a small cheer as it was loaded into their car.
Like so many other families surveyed, their holiday wish is to make the best Christmas experience for their child during the pandemic.
