Next to Santa Claus, Christmas trees are probably the most iconic symbol of Christmas. But the business behind them is far from an oasis of comfort and joy. PEOPLE is exclusively premiering the ...

"We were doing very well, but I didn't realize that I was stepping on the toes of the legitimate mafia wholesalers," he recalls Buying Christmas trees is a beloved tradition for people around the ...

New York City’s Christmas tree sales aren’t a holly-jolly business. The most statuesque trees worthy of a Manhattan pied-à-terre or Brooklyn brownstone don’t come cheap or without behind-the-scenes ...

Some of the tree sellers that pop up on city streets in the run-up to the big day have gone roughly $400,000 into debt to buy their supplies. Then there’s the hush-hush aspect of securing the best ...