Christmas tree shopping in full swing after Thanksgiving
TAMPA, Fla. - Thanksgiving weekend is one of the busiest for Christmas tree shopping and local lots have spent the last few days preparing for the rush. This weekend saws were running non-stop cutting down Christmas Trees in South Tampa.
"It's crazy. I mean, we don't have a lot of room here, so we don't go and get loads of four or 500 trees at a time. It's great that I have a supplier who's local and who's willing to keep sending me small loads," said Gallio Family Christmas Trees owner, Ed Gallio.
Ed Gallio has been in business for nearly 30 years and said this year's supply is in better shape than past years depending on the size you're looking for.
"Supply is good on everything. The bigger trees supply is already gone. So bigger trees are done and finished for the year, but smaller trees were pretty good," Gallio said.
He said there are fewer growers cutting down trees 10 feet or higher. Inflation has made transportation and fuel costs much higher so smaller trees are easier to work with. If you're still trying to decide whether to go artificial or real, fake trees have less upkeep Gallio said. Getting the real thing is all about the experience.
"I have kids that are coming that that came when with their parents who are bringing their kids now. So it's nice to see and that's why we do it. It's a lot of hard work. I'm getting older and my kids can pitch in only a little bit because they have their lives. They work. But me and my buddy, we do a lot during the week, and it takes us a month to set up, but it's well worth it," Gallio said.
If you do go for a real Christmas tree, upkeep is what's most important to keep it from turning brown. It's why as soon as Gallio gets a truckload of trees to the lot, he immediately put them in water and keeps them until they're bought.
"You have to keep it away from the heat source," he explained. "Don't let the heater blow on it. The vent, close it up."