Hey everyone I am just wondering if anyone knows when Food Lion will start having Christmas trees this year. Some stores start in early November while others wait until after Thanksgiving. Last year I went too late and only found a few dry ones left. I really want to get a fresh tree this time before the good ones are gone.
If anyone has seen them already or remembers when they usually arrive please let me know. I am trying to plan a weekend trip to pick one up.
I followed Balsam Hill and other Christmas stores last year and the big sales were not really better than half off. The prices looked good but most of them were just normal prices with a sale tag.
As for Food Lion, I remember they started setting up their Christmas area around the middle of November. That is when I saw the trees and wreaths outside near the main entrance. It feels early but it is the best time to check because that is when they get the first batch of trees. I would start looking right after Veterans Day.
I have been keeping an eye on tree prices all year because I wanted to see if buying early makes a real difference. I learned that the first week they come out is usually the best time to buy. The trees are fresher and the prices are still fair.
Last year I stopped by a Food Lion outlet near my town and was surprised by how good their selection was. The storage bags for artificial trees were thick and the decorative gloves looked beautiful. I bought a 75 inch unlit Balsam Fir and added my own lights later. It turned out great. I wanted a European Fir but those are hard to find here. For a grocery store Food Lion had pretty nice stuff.
I always feel like the prices go higher right when the sale starts. It happens every year. I check https://www.foodlion.com before I go in person because sometimes the website prices are different from the store ones.
If you want a real tree you should go early in the day when the trucks bring them in. I noticed they restock on weekdays more often than weekends. Also make sure you ask for the free tree netting because some stores run out of it fast. It is a small thing but it helps a lot when loading the tree in your car.