ニューヨーク・タイムズさんのインスタグラム写真 - (ニューヨーク・タイムズInstagram)「New Yorkers are clamoring for Christmas trees this year as balms of normalcy in the middle of a pandemic that has turned everyone’s life upside down. But the Christmas tree business, like seemingly everything else, has been disrupted by the coronavirus. There are fewer sidewalk stands in the city, with some vendors citing public health concerns as the reason they are staying away, while others have noted an unmistakable spike in demand from pent-up New Yorkers desperate for holiday cheer. Across the United States, Canada and much of Europe, consumers have been snapping up trees, leading in many cases to record sales. Some people are first-time buyers, while others are buying earlier than usual, making it challenging to keep fresh trees in stock. In New York, there is clearly a correlation between pandemic fatigue and people heading for the nearest tree seller — for some, right after cleaning the Thanksgiving dinner dishes. “I think people are just starving for human contact,” said Erika Lee Sengstack, an owner of Tree Riders NYC, in the East Village. “And to be able to make that connection on the street, over a tree, is truly heartwarming.” Tap the link in our bio to read more about why trees are the must-have holiday item. Photos by @hiroko.masuike」12月19日 4時02分