The short answer
| Way to get it | How fresh | What it costs | How long |
|---|---|---|---|
| A farm near you delivers | Freshest: cut that week, often that day | The tree, plus a delivery fee (for example from $40 within 15 miles) | On the farm’s delivery day |
| Shipped from a tree farm | Cut a few days before it ships, sent in a sealed box | Roughly $70–$210 for a 5–7 ft tree, often with free shipping | Usually a week or so |
| Home Depot, Lowe’s, Walmart, Amazon online | Shipped from a grower, similar to the above | Roughly $60–$175 for a 5–7 ft tree | Two days to over a week |
| Store pickup and local delivery | Depends how long it sat on the lot | Store price plus any delivery charge | Varies |
If a farm near you delivers, that is the freshest tree you can get without cutting it yourself. If not, a shipped tree from a grower is the next best, as long as you order early and open the box the day it arrives.
Christmas tree delivery near you: farms that deliver
These farms on PickingHours say they will bring a tree to you. Most deliver only nearby, on set days, for a fee; tap a farm’s name for its card and the details.
| Farm | Where | What the farm says |
|---|---|---|
| Pollard Ranch | Portland, OR | Fresh-cut trees delivered on Thursdays, Thanksgiving to Christmas, within 20 miles, for a surcharge; order online at least 12 hours ahead |
| Oak Hill Family Tree Farm | Yamhill, OR | Delivery within 15 miles, from $40 |
| Carroll’s Country Christmas Trees | Veneta, OR | Delivery, along with hayrides and flocking |
| Buttonwood Farm | Redmond, WA | Certified organic trees; deliveries on days the farm is closed to visitors; ask when you pay |
| Lazy Susan Tree Farm | Robbinsville, NJ | Delivery within 20 miles for a fee |
| Bink’s GET REAL Christmas Tree Farm | West Bend, WI | Pickup or delivery; you can tag a tree from 1 November |
| Hinkemeyer Tree Farm | Rice, MN | Delivery available |
| Shady Rest Tree Farm | Glendale Springs, NC | Mail order |
At a farm like Bink’s you can choose and tag your own tree at the farm first, then have it delivered, so you still get the trip out without having to carry it home. If your farm isn’t here, ask: many farms that don’t advertise delivery will arrange it for a big tree or a nearby address.
Don’t see a farm that delivers near you? Christmas tree farms by state lists every farm we cover; if you can get to one, our guide to getting a Christmas tree home shows how to carry it on any car.
Order a Christmas tree online: trees shipped to your door
A shipped Christmas tree is cut at the farm a few days before it leaves, wrapped tight, and sent in a long box by courier. Some growers seal the box with wax to hold moisture in. It arrives with its branches folded up and needs a few hours to relax before you decorate. Expect a 5–7 ft tree at most; bigger trees don’t fit the boxes.
Order direct from a tree farm
Several family farms, mostly Fraser fir growers in North Carolina and balsam and Fraser growers in Michigan, sell online and ship nationwide, often with free shipping. Look for a farm that tells you its cut and ship dates.
Home Depot, Lowe’s, Walmart, Amazon and Costco
The big stores sell fresh-cut trees online too, shipped from growers rather than from their own lots:
- Home Depot has the widest range online: Fraser, Douglas, noble, balsam and Nordmann fir, from tabletop trees to about 7.5 ft, many with free delivery. In recent seasons a 6–7 ft Fraser fir has been around $90–$150. Allow about a week.
- Lowe’s sells Fraser, Douglas and Nordmann fir online, roughly 3 to 12 ft, delivered or picked up at a store. In recent seasons a 5–6 ft Fraser fir has been around $90.
- Walmart sells fresh-cut trees from several growers online, delivered in two to five days after a day or two of processing.
- Amazon sells balsam fir, Fraser fir and spruce trees up to about 7 ft, shipped from the farm in a sealed carton; they arrive without a stand.
- Costco sells real trees in some warehouses; its website shows whether it is shipping fresh-cut trees to your area this year.
Delivered trees don’t come with a stand
Order one at the same time so it’s there when the tree is. A shipped tree is usually 5–7 ft with a 4 in trunk, so a stand that holds at least a gallon is enough; see Christmas tree stands for real trees.
When to order a delivered Christmas tree
- Order in November. Shipped trees sell out by size, and the popular 6–7 ft Fraser firs go first. Most sellers let you pick a ship date, so you can order early and still have it arrive in December.
- Pick a delivery date for early December. That gives you a tree that lasts to Christmas without arriving in November and drying out before the holiday. See when to put up a Christmas tree.
- Be home for it. A tree box can sit on a warm porch or in a hot hallway for a day; have it delivered when someone can bring it in, or to a neighbour.
- Local farm delivery usually runs on set days from Thanksgiving weekend to just before Christmas. Book early, as delivery slots can fill up.
What to do when the tree arrives
- Open the box the same day. Take the tree out and stand it up somewhere cool, like a garage or porch, to let the branches drop.
- Give it a fresh cut. Saw about an inch off the bottom, straight across. A tree that has been in a box for days has a sealed-over cut and won’t drink until you do this.
- Get it into water within a few hours of that cut, in a stand that holds at least a gallon.
- Let it settle overnight before decorating, so the branches fall into shape.
- Water it every day. A shipped tree is thirsty for the first few days; check the stand morning and evening.
If the tree arrives brown, brittle or broken, photograph it in the box and contact the seller the same day: many sellers guarantee their trees and will replace or refund one that arrives in bad shape.
For how long it will last once it is up, see how long a real Christmas tree lasts; for the right height for your room, the Christmas tree size calculator.
Questions people ask
Can you get a real Christmas tree delivered?
Yes. Some Christmas tree farms deliver locally, tree farms in North Carolina and Michigan ship boxed trees nationwide, and Home Depot, Lowe’s, Walmart and Amazon sell fresh-cut trees online for delivery.
How much does Christmas tree delivery cost?
From a local farm, the tree price plus a delivery fee, for example from $40 within 15 miles. A shipped 5–7 ft tree has cost roughly $60 to $210 in recent seasons, often with free shipping included.
Is a delivered Christmas tree fresh?
A tree delivered by a local farm is cut that week and is as fresh as one you cut yourself. A shipped tree is cut a few days before it ships and sealed in a box; give it a fresh cut and water as soon as it arrives and it should last as long as a tree from a lot.
Does Home Depot deliver Christmas trees?
Yes, Home Depot sells fresh-cut trees online and ships them, many with free delivery. Lowe’s and Walmart do the same; Lowe’s also offers store pickup.
How big a tree can you get delivered?
Shipped trees usually top out at about 7 to 7.5 ft because of box size. For a taller tree, look for a local farm that delivers.
When should I order a Christmas tree for delivery?
In November, with a delivery date in early December. Popular sizes sell out and shipping slows close to Christmas.
Sources
- Delivery details for each farm: the farm’s own website, as shown on its PickingHours card.
- Store ranges and recent prices: Home Depot, Lowe’s, Walmart and Amazon product pages, and roundups by Reviewed, Bob Vila and Yahoo Lifestyle.
- Fresh-cut tree care after delivery: our guide to how long a real Christmas tree lasts, from Penn State and NC State Extension.
Nothing on this page is sponsored, and no farm pays to be listed. Products are named because readers ask about them. Farm details are read from each farm’s card on PickingHours, with the date we checked it.
More Christmas tree guides
- Real vs artificial Christmas treenew this week
- Living Christmas treesnew this week
- Christmas tree deliveryyou are here
- Christmas tree stands for real treesnew this week
- Fresh Christmas wreaths and garlandnew this week
- All 18 Christmas tree guidesby topic
- All Christmas tree farmsevery state we cover