How much will a Christmas tree cost in Southwest Florida this year?

With Thanksgiving this week and Christmas around the corner, we want to know how tree prices are stacking up across Southwest Florida.

WINK News reporter Esly Davis was tasked with finding out how much you might pay for a Christmas tree this year.

It depends on the size, height, add-ons and type of tree. Real trees can range from $30 to over $2,000 for a tree five times the average person’s height.

But when it comes to choosing between a real or artificial tree, money isn’t the only factor at play; there’s nothing like the smell of a fresh Christmas tree.

Mary Wojciechowski went shopping on Monday: “The smell, keeping the tradition going, I love it.”

This year, the average price for a 6-to-7-foot real Christmas tree ranges from $85 to $195, but for her, no amount of savings could replace the tradition she and her late husband kept alive for 30 years.

“After Hurricane Ian, I lost everything. I lost my husband, also, so I didn’t feel like getting a real tree,” Wojciechowski explained.

But this year, the Christmas spirit is returning to her home.

“I am getting a real tree in honor of him, and we both loved it. He loved Christmas so much, and I’m going to do it up,” she said.

For Randy and Diane Campbell, who were shopping at Target, there is no such thing as the wrong Christmas tree. They said buying fresh stopped making sense after their kids grew up.

“For the last 10 years, it’s been an 8-foot artificial tree, and it’s actually a really nice tree. We enjoy putting it up, so it kind of replaced the real thing. It’s not exactly the same, but it’s pretty darn close,” they explained.

And this year, retailers like Walmart and Home Depot have trees with prices starting under $29.

There really isn’t such a thing as a bad Christmas tree, but if you’re wondering when to save the most, the best time is either during Black Friday or the day after Christmas.