It’s time to deck those halls with a Christmas tree from a local stand. North Brooklyn’s Christmas tree stands have started popping up throughout the neighborhood with fresh trees like charming Balsams and towering Frasers.
Most stands also sell wreaths and other holiday decor, while some offer additional activities like cut-outs and photo ops.
The 2025 holiday season will not be the same without the beloved owner of Greg’s Trees, Greg Walsh, who spent almost four decades as the city’s resident holiday man. I was personally heartbroken by the news of Walsh’s passing because my daughter has visited him as Santa every year. But the good news is that Walsh’s legacy lives on, and Greg’s Trees is still in business.
If you’d like to learn more about Greg Walsh and his family’s legacy in New York’s “cutthroat” Christmas tree trade, watch a new documentary called The Merchants of Joy, which starts streaming on December 1.
Here is a list of the best places to buy a live Christmas tree in North Brooklyn.
Note: This list will be updated as more tree stands pop up and as Santa visits are announced.
Greg’s Trees
Greg’s Trees, a family-owned company, is a local staple of Christmas cheer and gear. Its tree stands are officially open for the season with fresh trees in several premium varieties including Noble, Fraser Fir and Balsam Fir Trees from the Pacific Northwest and North Carolina.
This year, Greg’s Trees is operating six locations in New York, including the annual stands at McCarren Park and Domino Park.
Greg’s Trees’ stand at McCarren Park is located at 776 Lorimer Street on the edge of McCarren Park on Driggs Avenue between Manhattan Avenue and Lorimer Street. In addition to trees, this location sells wreaths and other decor, and has fun photo-ops. It’s open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Greg’s Trees’ stand at Domino Park is located on the Williamsburg waterfront at 15 River Street. This location includes premium varieties of trees and a Christmas market that is packed with ornaments, lights, and tree toppers.
Last year, Greg’s Trees stocked a stand at Greenpoint’s American Playground, but it looks like a different tree company took that spot (more on that later). On Instagram, Greg’s Trees wrote that they are “saddened” to not be at American Playground this year.
In the past, Greg Walsh donned his Santa Claus costume and visited his tree stands, letting local kids sit on his lap for photo opportunities. So far this year, Greg’s Trees website and Instagram have not announced timing for Santa visits, so Greenpointers is unsure if this tradition will continue.
Greenpoint Trees
Greenpoint Trees is a family-owned and operated company from a Greenpoint native who has run it since 1990. This year, Greenpoint Trees is operating not one, but three tree stands in the neighborhood, with two brand new stand locations.
All three tree stands opened on November 22 and will remain open 24 hours a day until Christmas.
Greenpoint Trees’ original stand that started 35 years ago is still bringing the freshest Christmas trees to Greenpoint. It is located at 814 Manhattan Avenue on the corner of Calyer Street. In addition to trees, this stand sells tree stands and wreaths and offers home delivery and even professional decorating services.
One of Greenpoint Trees’ new locations is Greenpoint Playground. The stand is location at 243 Franklin Street on the corner of Commercial Street.
The second new location is American Playground, where Greg’s Trees operated a tree stand last year. The Greenpoint Trees’ stand is located at 81 Franklin Street between Milton Street and Noble Street.