Video shot and edited by photojournalist Josh Viste.
PILSEN (NBC 26) -- For many in Northeast Wisconsin, once the Thanksgiving meal has been enjoyed, it means it's time for another holiday tradition passed down from generation to generation: the family trip to select and cut down the Christmas tree. The Aissen Tree Farm in Pilsen participates in this tradition.
In the video above, Tammy Aissen, co-owner of Aissen Tree Farm in Pilsen, explains their role in the holiday tradition.
If you're heading out to buy a fresh-cut live Christmas tree, brace yourself for sticker shock. The U.S. has experienced a 33% drop in Christmas tree production since 1977. Christmas tree prices have more than doubled since 2008.
The average price of a tree is now $76, according to the National Christmas Tree Association. The spike in prices is the result of the 2008 financial crisis, when many tree farmers went out of business and replacement trees were not planted.
