From Near And Far Away:
Selling Christmas Trees
On The Streets Of Queens

By Stephen McGuire

Imagine being hundreds of miles from home during the holiday season and spending your nights sleeping in a car or trailer just to earn some extra money.

The hours are long and you spend much of your time outdoors.

The weather is often cold and unforgiving.

As Christmas draws nearer, Queens sidewalks and lots have sprouted camps of people selling Christmas trees. Some have come from neighboring boroughs and some come from other countries.  

Whether they are in it for money, for themselves or to help others, all have a job that is helping spread the holiday spirit in Queens .

On a cold morning this week, Canadian citizen Joel Poirier sat inside his four by four truck in a parking lot of a Taco Bell in Flushing .

He was not there for an early lunch, he meant business – selling Christmas trees.

Harsh weather and long hours are par for the course for workers at this Bayside site where Christmas trees are sold. Fernando De La Cruz said he does it “to give something to the kids for the holidays.” Tribune Photos by Ira Cohen

Poirier is one of many who have spent long hours, sometimes overnight, on the streets of Queens to earn holiday cash and meet new friends selling holiday trees.

Poirier, 32, owns a mountain bike tour business back home in Quebec , Canada . 

His love for mountain biking has brought him to places like Colorado and Utah but this year, as the cold weather brought in less business, he decided to pack his things with a friend and come to New York to sell his trees.

“It’s my first year doing this,” he said. “It’s a good opportunity.”

More than 50 trees occupied a corner space of the parking lot where Poirier has set up shop selling trees from his native country.

“The trees are from Nova Scotia ,” he explained. “They are very fragrant (and) business is good.”

Although Poirier will be away from home for the holidays, he doesn’t seem to mind much, especially after being able to experience New York City first-hand and for the first time.

“It’s my first time here,” he told the Tribune. “I haven’t really been to big cities. I expected it to be crazy but people here are really nice.”

“We’re here twenty-four seven,” Poirier said.

Porier and his business partner came to Queens in late November and set up shop in a parking lot at 172nd Street and Northern Boulevard around Thanksgiving Day.

“We’ve been here since late-November. I haven’t had much time for seeing stuff, I’ve only been in Queens.” he said.

He plans to be working long hours until Christmas Day or until he runs out of trees to sell.

“It depends on how much trees we have left,” before he gets to see some of the sights in New York .

Poirier said he would like to visit Ground Zero and take in some of the sights around the Big Apple.

“You could go anywhere in the world (but) this is New York ,” he said.

Until Christmas Day however, he will enjoy spending his time doing his job.

“I enjoy bargaining. It’s fun. I’m planning to come back.”

Inside a modest camper just off the busy intersection of Francis Lewis Boulevard and Northern Boulevard in Bayside sat Fernando De La Cruz trying to keep warm.

He was there to sell Christmas trees and to help others less fortunate than him.

Fernando De La Cruz inside the camper at the Bayside site where he sells Christmas trees. It is his home away from home for the holidays. Tribune Photo by Stephen McGuire

“We are trying to raise money for donations for Aurora Concepts, a drug program for adolescents and adults,” said 42-year-old De La Cruz.

“They are kids with no parents and people recovering from substance abuse,” De La Cruz said as he displayed the medal on the chain around his neck.

“I am a graduate myself,” he said of the program based in Flushing .

“We want to give something to the kids for the holidays. I do it because it helps me keep in touch with myself, ” he said.

For De La Cruz of Brooklyn who said he was recently “laid off” from his position as a supermarket manager, this is his second holiday season spent on the streets of Queens selling Christmas trees.

“Business is not bad . . . can’t complain.”

De La Cruz is part of a three-man team taking shifts selling trees at the sight.

A typical day at the Bayside sight is comprised of helping customers and spending down time inside a nearby parked camper equipped with a heater and television.

“There’s always someone (working) here. We have a guy stay here all night,” De La Cruz said.

De La Cruz said that selling trees has earned him the chance to learn more about them.

“We offer two types of trees – balsam and frasier,” he said.

Balsam trees have long-lasting needles and smell good, he explained.

“When you put them in water, they last longer,” De La Cruz said. “When you take them down there’s no mess in your apartment,” he said.

Frasier trees are also good for use as Christmas trees but Balsam trees have a stronger fragrance, according to De La Cruz.

All of the trees he sells come from Canada , he said.

At Keil Brothers Inc. in Bayside, they know about Christmas trees. After all, they have been selling them to the residents of Queens since 1929.

According to Richard Thomas, assistant manager at Keil Brothers and grandson of Henry Keil who started the business 71-years ago, there are certain things everyone who purchases a Christmas tree should do to maintain a fresh look throughout the holidays.

According to Thomas, once you get the tree home you should put it in hot water.

“Many times after a few days, people start to add cold water,” Thomas said. “Hot water keeps the sap from sealing itself and causing the tree to dry up.”

Thomas also suggested that instead of discarding unused tree branches from the bottom of the Christmas tree, customers should use the branches.

They are great to use behind a manger or as a table arrangement, he said.

Keil Brothers sells trees “right up until Christmas Eve.”

“The cold weather is keeping the trees fresher than in years past,” Thomas explained.

Thomas’ favorite thing about selling Christmas trees is seeing the generations of families who drop by to buy them.

“It’s like a family night,” he said.

For more information about Keil Brothers, located at 210-11 48th Ave. in Oakland Gardens , call 229-5042.

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