Arctic temperatures in Ireland might leave some without a Christmas tree this year, according to the Evening Herald.
Some Dublin retailers, whose suppliers are based in the mountains, are experiencing a shortage in the trees due to the freezing temperatures. An increasing demand for the trees in the UK has also added to crisis, and prices are up.
John Brennan, who has been in the Christmas tree business for 42 years, said that his team at Milltown had their full stock of trees this year, but other retailers were not so lucky.
"There is no shortage of Christmas trees here," he said.
"But there is definitely a shortage among those who haven't been in the business that long. I know that a number said that they don't have the stock, their supply chain has been affected.
"Some of the suppliers are based very high in the Wicklow mountains.
"The cold weather in Denmark has delayed the Christmas trees getting to the UK and so they are turning to Irish suppliers too. This has driven the cost of Nordmond Fir up in particular."
Brennan said that the price of their trees have remained at the same level.
"We have had some difficulty obtaining the larger trees -- the farmers are not growing them," he said. "We do stock 4ft 'apartment trees' from €35 -- delivered anywhere in Dublin for €45. Our prices haven't gone up -- they didn't shoot up during the boom years and there is still a significant demand for them despite the recession."
He also warned about a scheme where customers purchase a tree that can be supposedly be replanted.
"It's a bit of a myth," he said. "This comes from an idea in the UK but the chances of one of those growing again in the cold after being in a warm environment is very small.
"Some of these trees might have been grown in soil and then planted in pots -- a quick test is to lift it at the top of the tree -- if it comes free then it has been planted after growth."
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