Last Trees Go for Bargains, Charity

While workers pulled the plastic decorations off the poles and rolled away the temporary fences, Steven Durbeck fingered a noble fir at Big Wave Dave’s Christmas tree lot in Ventura.

It was Christmas Eve and most of the tree lot owners were preparing to shut down or had already cleared out. But Durbeck had purposely chosen Tuesday to select a tree.

For the Ventura resident, the holidays start not after Halloween, when card manufacturers begin releasing a slew of holiday cards, not after Thanksgiving when malls start adorning their shops with Christmas trees and wreaths.

“I avoid all the craziness before that,” Durbeck, 46, said. “A lot of what you associate with the holidays is promotional. I think there’s a major spiritual aspect connected to this time of year if you pay attention to it.”

Beyond Durbeck’s spiritual quest, Christmas Eve provided great opportunities for procrastinators who just wanted great prices on trees.

About a week before Christmas, most all lots begin to slash Christmas tree prices. At Big Wave Dave’s, trees that were once $70 could be purchased for $30 on Tuesday. At the Target stores in Ventura, noble firs, the only trees left, were 50% off. And at Oxnard’s Home Depot, all remaining trees were already sold on Saturday for $5.

Rather than opting to return unsold trees to the vendor or throw the firs and pines away, some owners chose to donate the trees to charities. On Tuesday, Dave of Big Wave Dave’s stood by the phone calling up radio stations to see if they had charities that could use the trees.

“I would rather see them go to someone than see them mulched up,” said Dave. “Personally, I would feel better about it. It would make someone’s Christmas.”

A mission in Ventura and Project Understanding, a Ventura-based organization that helps low-income families, were a few of the groups to receive Dave’s trees.

By the end of Tuesday, with discounted prices, shipments back to the vendors and donations to charities, the mini-forests of Scotch pines, Douglas and noble firs had mostly vanished from the city lots.

“Yeah, I’m so glad it’s over,” Dave said. “Thirty days and 30 nights of working this tree lot. I’m just glad it’s over.”