By Kristin Donnelly
If you’ve been shopping for Christmas trees in the neighborhood, you probably already know there’s a pretty big range in price. The Balsam fir that catches your eye at one tree stand might be double what’s charged for a comparable tree just a few blocks away.
When West Side Rag sampled prices at several Christmas tree retailers, from sidewalk shops to chain grocery stores in the 90s on the Upper West Side, we found pricing for 6- to 7-foot trees ranged from $89.99 to $200. This is far from just an UWS phenomenon. The city news site Gothamist surveyed prices across all five boroughs, finding trees of that size could be bought for as low as $65 in Brooklyn or Staten Island, while similar trees might cost as much as $220 in Manhattan.
But, not all trees are created equally. Whether you’re looking at beautiful Balsams or fabulous Frasers, you’ll want to inspect the tree you’ll be decorating as your holiday centerpiece. Then comes the hard part: figuring out how to get it home. Some of these vendors have a solution.
Vic & Nic Christmas Trees
- Broadway and West 93rd Street
- Cash only and tax included in the prices
- 6- to 7-foot trees start at $180 for Balsam and $200 for Fraser firs
Vic and Nic’s will cut the bottom of the tree for you to keep it fresh and run it through a machine that wraps a cover on it for easy transport. This sidewalk vendor also sells wreaths and assorted handmade crafts and ornamentation. Here we did get the helpful tip that Balsams have the stronger Christmas tree scent, but Frasers are most people’s preferred trees because they retain their needles longer. This retailer also has smaller trees, in the 3-4 foot range, for $80.
Uptown X-Mas Trees
- Columbus and West 90th Street
- 6-foot trees start at $150 for Balsams, $175 for Frasers
WSR wrote about this vendor from Vermont in 2022, the fourth year that Uptown X-Mas occupied the same corner of Columbus and West 90th (many sidewalk vendors return annually to the same spots). One perk at Uptown X-Mas is that they will deliver trees to some locations. They will also cut the bottom of the tree for you to keep it fresh (instagram handle: UWS_ChristmasTrees_). They also have a selection of smaller trees, starting at $45.
West Side Stop One Deli
- Amsterdam and West 94th Street
- There’s a slimmer selection here, but you can get a 6-foot tree for $120. Smaller trees cost $45.
PlantShed
- Amsterdam and West 95th Street
Prices marked for the 7-foot majestic Fraser firs here topped out at $235, with 6-foot trees at $200. In addition to a selection of smaller trees starting at $75, there was a large selection of adorable little countertop Christmas plants. Delivery, tree stands, and setup packages can all be ordered on their website.
Key Food
- West 96th Street and Amsterdam
- 6- and 7-foot trees are $120, 5- to 6-foot trees are $90, 4- to 5-foot trees $60
Key Food advertises free delivery for ANY Christmas tree, a pretty nice bonus if you aren’t interested in hauling something home yourself.
Whole Foods
- Columbus and West 97th Street
Whole Foods appeared to have the lowest prices in the WSR sampling. Their 6-foot trees cost $89.99 (with tax, $98). Some caveats: most of the trees are prepackaged and so you can’t really see what they look like ahead of time. And you need to haul them away on your own.
That wasn’t deterring shoppers over the weekend, though, as they schlepped trees down the block. One dad lugging a tree yelled, “I got limited visibility!”
UWS resident Michelle Campbell told the Rag her husband was coming with the car to pick up a bunch of other items they were hauling home in addition to their $98 tree. A discerning Christmas tree shopper, Campbell said she’s happy to see more competitive rates return. “During COVID,” she said, “they really jacked up the prices.”
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Being Jewish has its privileges. Such as never having to buy a Christmas tree 😂
C’mon Ped – you know you want one in your living room. You just can’t bring yourself to carry it upstairs.
As an atheist, I share this blessing.
I was lucky to have a coupon for my Hanukah bush this year.
It balances out when you take into account the inevitable rotator cuff surgery to fix the repetitive injury from a life of mezuzah touching
my jewish family always bought a christmas tree
That’s terrible. I hate that.
About $160
You can get a good deal on December 26
Just in time for Russian Christmas!
Another factor to consider: did you know that as many as 25,000 insects, mites, and spiders may inhabit a typical seven-foot Xmas tree (https://www.uib.no/en/news/36511/what-lives-my-christmas-tree)? Now you do! So before forking over that $220, make sure you’re getting your money’s worth.
We purchased at Whole Foods Monday night. Very nice looking tree and very happy to pay under $100. They don’t freshly cut the bottom when you purchase. I’m used to bringing the tree home and finding it soaks up water overnight in the stand. This one hasn’t at all. So, I’m a little nervous the needles will fall off quickly. Fingers crossed!!!
I was told by another vendor that Whole Foods’ trees are cut in October! I’ve bought them before and they’re always dead by Xmas. SO even thought it’s a great deal, they don’t last.
Oh man!! Fingers crossed
Trees are honestly a lot lighter than you might think! I can carry a six-footer home by myself (a few blocks, anyway), and I’m no athlete.
Seconding this. Carrying a fir tree for ~10 blocks should not be very difficult for most able-bodied adults, especially if it’s wrapped to minimize bulkiness.
P.S. I believe Fairway, like Whole Foods, is also selling large trees for $89.99.
The best Christmas trees are at Columbus Avenue at 81st/80th Streets
There are a full line of Fraser Fir (great scent, needle retention, strong branches), Balsam Fir (classic scent), Douglas Fir (nice shape, mild scent), and Noble Fir (sturdy for heavy ornaments) are top contenders, while Scotch Pine offers excellent needle retention and affordability in any size ‼️
This was a truly helpful article! thank you!
I prefer to leave the tree in the ground. It’s being of service that way — cleaning the air, providing shade, producing o2….
I’ve been fantasizing about getting a living Christmas tree for years, now, and keeping it alive in a planter for many years to come.
However, I have seen dogs peeing on Whole Foods’ trees. So there’s that additional scent to bring home.
Broadway between 102nd and 103rd , east side of the street, had the best prices. While most UWS vendors were asking $30/ft., I got a beautiful 5 ft. tree there for $80 .
Bought my huge beautiful tree at Whole Foods, paid, young helper put it in the basket which promptly fell over. No grandson avaiable. Now what? Called my lovely Sepahardic Jewish neighbor who said he would help if I promised to light my Hanukah candles. I do every year! He arrived leaned the tree on his body and we walked 9 blocks home.
We got our little tree (4.5 feet) from Key Food on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. They also didn’t cut the bottom, and the tree for the most part has been doing great! Fingers crossed it continues to do so.
I found it amusing that the author Kristin Donnelly uses the word “schlepped” in an article about Christmas trees. Happy holidays.
In NYC, we’re all a little Jewish. In the best possible way.
I don’t acquire Christmas trees, but why survey only in the 90s?
Nothing. The practice should be outlawed.
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