Real trees scarce this holiday

There are fewer places to buy the real version of traditional Christmas trees nowadays in Brunswick and the Golden Isles.

Tree lots that usually pop up on major thoroughfares following Thanksgiving have been gradually disappearing over the years with the growing popularity of real-looking plastic replicas.

But for those who still sell the seasonal variety, nothing is better than the real thing.

With Christmas Day now just 10 days away, the picking is slim. For many families, the yuletide season would not be complete without a dark green tree prominently displayed in holiday cheer.

The Brunswick Kiwanis Club has been selling fir trees in Brunswick for decades, but this year only a few dozen remain. The club started with near- ly 500 trees and has sold most of them.

The St. Simons Optimist Club has already sold out of trees at its location near the Island Car Wash by the McKinnon St. Simons Airport, said member JoAnn Davis.

The hope is that real trees will remain a tradition, even as companies improve the texture and appearance of their artificial counterparts.

Switching to a factory made copy is a matter of convenience for some. St. Simons Island resident Laura Kipp says her family sometimes buys trees from the Kiwanis Club or from the St. Simons Optimists Club but recently has transitioned to a fake fir.

“For the past several years, we have succumbed to artificial trees, unfortunately,” Kipp said. “We are so busy with our jobs and family that if we are not going to be home for the holidays, it is just not worth the effort.”