Christmas trees prices in New York City have hit as high as $1,000 as some residents look for the perfect tree.
Heather Neville, of Neville's Trees in Greenwich Village, told WNYW-TV that while there are cheaper trees out there, there is some justification for the pricy pines.
"The more exotic the tree is, the more expensive it's going to be," Neville told WNYW-TV. "The tree that I sold for $750, it was a Korean fir. I get very few of them every year. It was $650 for the tree, $200 for the stand. A delivery fee of $25 and installation. At the end of the day when you're done paying for everything, with the tip and everything like that, it costs about a thousand dollars."
Tom Evans, of Long Island, who purchased a six-foot evergreen, for $80, called Neville "kind of the Grinch in the whole deal," for selling a tree that will ultimately cost a homeowner $1,000, the New York Post reported.
A tree shortage because of drought conditions in various parts of the country has also been a driver for higher tree prices this year, WNYW-TV reported.
WPIX-TV reported that some 13-foot Christmas trees are going for $400, but even those prices are forcing customers to go cheaper and shorter.
"I'll do a 4-foot tree," one patron told the television station. "I think that's generous. I think it says Merry Christmas but it's not screaming Christmas either."
Trees in the Washington Heights area and uptown New York City can be had for $300 with free setup an delivery, WPIX-TV said.
According to the New York Post, East Village residents Adrian Chrzan and Jacquelyn Mitchell, both 30, found a five-foot Fraser for $100, stand included.
"I wouldn't be able to tell the difference between a white fir and any other tree," Mitchell told the Post. "They all look the same to me, so I'm just going to look for the best deal. … We are from Connecticut and you can get a tree this size (there) for 20 bucks."
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