This year, the overall import of Christmas goods in the US declined by about 25%, but prices did not get cheaper—in fact, they increased. The underlying reason is quite painful: over 80% of artificial Christmas trees sold in the US come from China. A series of tariff policies directly pushed up the prices of these goods by about 20%.

Someone has calculated that the cost of producing these trees locally in the US is three times higher than in China, making them completely uncompetitive. As a result, retailers and consumers have to bear the cost—tariffs are ultimately paid by ordinary people. In this trade game, the price of goods has become the most direct barometer of the situation.