Not to be a Grinch, but your Christmas tree may cost a little more this year.
The average live Christmas tree price is expected to top $80 this year, according to industry experts who say the 2008 economic recession is largely to blame for a smaller supply of available trees.
According to an annual study commissioned by the National Christmas Tree Association, the Christmas tree industrys official trade organization, the average cost of a live evergreen tree increased last year to $78, or $3 more than the year before.
Though a $3 price increase may not sound like much, the average cost of a live Christmas tree about doubled over the previous four years, according to the studys past findings, with the average tree in 2014 costing $39.50.