A shortage of Christmas trees has people struggling to find one this holiday season.
Wade Appleby and his girlfriend, Rachel, are looking for the perfect tree.
"This is our first tree that we're buying together actually," said the resident of Boston's Jamaica Plain neighborhood.
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It's a magical moment but one that comes with a steeper price than last year.
"I expected probably with where inflation is right now probably, 8% to 10% higher than what it was last year," he said. "It's a once in a year thing. I'm not going to put a price on that."
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At Kelly's Community Christmas Trees in Roxbury, owner Dannie Kelly says he's had to mark up prices because of higher costs.
"The prices are ridiculous," said Kelly. "We have to pass that on to the consumer, unfortunately."
One problem has been an undersupply of Christmas trees since 2016, which has led to higher prices every year.
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"This year, added to that, of course, is the problem with inflation," said Jill Sidebottom of the National Christmas Tree Association.
The organization doesn't track how much more consumers will pay this year, but the organization says to expect a price hike in line with so many other goods.
"Growers have felt it, too, from increased costs of fertilizer to gasoline prices and increased costs of labor," said Sidebottom. "And they've had to pass that on to their customers."
Sidebottom says prices really depend on where consumers buy their trees, and in what part of the country.
"The price doesn't really matter," said Hanna Spofford of Mission Hill. "As long as it smells good and fits in our apartment well."
