Christmas Tree Sales are Up

There may be fewer presents to put under the Christmas tree this year, but there will be a tree.

Christmas trees may turn out to be a bright spot amid the economic gloom.

Industry analysts, growers and distributors say sales of real Christmas trees are keeping pace with last year, when Americans bought 31 million.

Loren Schmierer wasn't sure how many people would pay to cut down their own Christmas trees this year at Noblesville's Stonycreek Farm Nursery & Landscaping in Indiana. But so far, so good.

"Yes, it's been very good for us," the owner said. "It's running over last year."

Last year, 31.3 million real Christmas trees were purchased across the nation, at a total retail value of $1.3 billion.

Consumers also purchased 17.4 million artificial trees at a total value of $1.2 billion.