TAMPA, Fla. — Fancy Fir Christmas Trees is back open in Tampa for its 18th year as we shift into the holiday season.

Tom Daly owns the business and runs it with his family.

What You Need To Know

Economic experts said that some decorations and gifts could be more expensive this year because of tariffs 

A USF professor said artificial trees face tariffs, so prices will be higher this year

Fancy Fir Christmas Trees said its real trees are the same price as last year

The American Christmas Tree Association said of the households putting up a tree, most will pick artificial

“People have driven up all day saying, ‘we’ll be in later today, we’ll be in tomorrow or whatever, can’t wait’,” said Daly. “I do it because I love it — it’s great.”

Ten years before the pandemic, Daly said prices were steady, but around 2020 Fancy Fir had to increase its prices for the first time.

“They got to a point where there’s an imbalance where there was a much greater demand for real trees… So, the growers knew that,” he said. “It’s sort of leveling off now.”

This year the good news is prices for real trees at Fancy Fir haven’t changed year-over-year, but the business is absorbing a small increase from one of its growers.

“Pricing is all dependent upon the grower. If you’ve got a grower that’s very reasonable, you can pretty much depend upon steady, consistent pricing,” Daly said.

Artificial trees are a different story. University of South Florida associate professor of economics Michael Snipes said most fake trees are imported and face tariffs, which he said will raise the price of those trees.

“A lot of it is due to the tariffs. This would be the year where going with the natural tree might actually be the best way to go,” Snipes said.

Anything that is imported, Snipes said, will likely have higher prices this year, including many gifts and holiday decorations; but, he said, companies are starting to meet shoppers where they’re at.

“Costs are going to be higher, and we might be able to afford less than we did in previous years, but I don’t think that there’s necessarily any reason to kind of be overly worried about prices starting to explode,” Snipes said.

Prices at Daly’s shop come down to tree type and height. The veteran owner said the weekend after Thanksgiving will be their busiest time.

“They trust that we’re going to give them a good product and not take advantage of them, and we take that seriously,” Daly said.

Demand for artificial trees is still high this year.

The American Christmas Tree Association said that of the households putting up a tree, over 80% of them will choose an artificial one.