'Big response this year': Christmas trees, artificial and real, are flying off the shelves
One Winnipeg Christmas tree retailer is seeing his business boom as Winnipeggers are trying to snap up trees before the holidays.
Jordan Hiebert, the co-owner of Lacoste Garden Centre, said people aren't panic buying yet, but there is a big demand for trees.
"Last year was similar, if people remember, most people were sold out early in December," said Hiebert. "We were sold out by the sixth of December last year, and we're expecting to be sold out even earlier this year."
Hiebert said there are fewer trees for Canadians as many U.S. markets have been buying from Canadian farms.
"I would say, on average, 60 per cent of inventory that would come to Canada is available to us."
However, it's not just real trees that are being scooped up; artificial trees are flying off the shelves as well.
"Big response this year too. Even earlier, of course, because we could have them earlier. We've been selling them pretty strong from October, before Halloween, we were selling quite a bit and it's just been increasing and increasing."
If people are looking to buy a real tree, Hiebert has some advice for those people.
"If you're buying a tree this early, you obviously don't want to put in water in your house just yet. It could be a little dry at Christmas," said Hiebert. "Keep it outside, you could wrap it in a plastic tarp or even a blanket to keep it safe from the wind drying it out … out of the wind, out of the sun."
Once you are ready to bring the tree in, Hiebert said people should give it a fresh cut on the bottom with about an inch coming off.
He added his business still has many trees available, but did note prices have gone up compared to last year because of the American markets buying up a good number of trees.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Quebec judge orders bus driver to stand trial for 2023 daycare crash deaths
A judge has ordered a Quebec man to stand trial on charges of first-degree murder in the deaths of two children killed when a bus rammed into a Montreal-area daycare last year.
Trudeau promises $1B in loans for child-care providers to expand care centres
The federal government is launching a new loan program to help child-care providers in Canada expand their spaces, and will be extending further student loan forgiveness and training options for early childhood educators, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Thursday.
Where is the worst place for allergy sufferers in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Multiple bridges in Calgary shut down for police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
N.B. man wins $64 million from Lotto 6/49
A New Brunswicker will go to bed Thursday night much richer than he was Wednesday after collecting on a winning lottery ticket he let sit on his bedroom dresser for nearly a year.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
'Nonsense:' Doug Ford slams lawsuits filed by Ontario school boards against social media platforms
Premier Doug Ford says that lawsuits launched by four Ontario school boards against a trio of social media platforms are “nonsense” and risk becoming a distraction to the work that really matters.
Do these exercises for core strength if you can't stomach doing planks
Planks are one of the most effective exercises for strengthening your midsection, as they target all of your major core muscles: the transverse abdominis, rectus abdominis, external obliques and internal obliques. Yet despite the popularity of various 10-minute plank challenges, planking is actually one of the most dreaded core exercises, according to many fitness experts.