Christmas tree lots provide welcome jobs
The Monday after the numbing commercial frenzy of Black Friday weekend, it was a breath of fresh air to stroll through a quiet forest of Fraser firs, Scotch Pines and Blue Spruces and inhale a piney remembrance of simpler Christmases past.
Sadly, it was a short walk and reverie. Reaching the end of the tented “forest,” I emerged into the midday glare of traffic, billboards and commerce near the intersection of State Road 436 and East Altamonte Drive.
Christmas tree lots like this one, operated by Watson Tree Farms in central Michigan, are not just nostalgic trips down a Currier & Ives memory lane, they provide a few weeks of welcomeholidayemploymentforworkers and students in a still-struggling economy.
Watson, which also has lots in Longwood and Casselberry, sends workers from Michiganbut hires twoor three residents to help at each site. Down the road at Santa’s Trees, under a candy-striped tent on U.S. Highway 17-92 in Maitland, all the workers are local.
Michael Dever, 16, a homeschooled student from Sanford, is working eight to 10 hours, five days a week – saving for a car. Tyler Holder, 30, is an Altamonte Springs landscaper picking up some green during his slowseason. RandySettle, 53, is acommercial photographer in Winter Springs.
Since no one keeps lists of Christmas tree lots, even the cities and counties that issue permits and licenses, find it hard to estimate the number. The only certainty is the numbers are shrinking.
Warren Brown, 71, has owned and operated Santa’s Trees for 38 years. At one time, Brown had 20 lots in the area with a work- force of nearly 70. The lot on 17-92 is his last stand. About a dozen part-timers share the work load.
“Like any other business, it’s changed over the years,” Brown said. “The big boxes have pretty well run the independents out of business.” (Lots run by volunteers as fundraisers for nonprofit groups also have taken a hit.)
Santa’s Trees has survived by catering to the demand for 15 to 20-foot (and larger) trees in palatial homesandpublic spaces, like arenas and hotels. This year they delivered a 40-footer to Portofino BayHotel at Universal Orlando.
Brown expects to sell 800 to 1,000 trees this season.
“If it wasn’t for the people whocomeback year after year after year, I probably wouldn’t stay in the business,” he said. “I’m selling to people who came here as kids with their parents. In some cases, of the kids.”