EVERY YEAR THE SMELL OF SPRUCE AROUND NEW YORK CITY ANNOUNCES THE ARRIVAL OF AS MANY AS 200,000 CHRISTMAS TREES.

THE SEASONAL WORKERS WHO SELL TREES OFTEN LIVE ON-SITE IN TRAILERS, VANS, AND EVEN PLYWOOD SHACKS.

WE TALKED WITH ONE GROUP OF CHRISTMAS TREE SELLERS AT THEIR SIDEWALK MARKET IN BROOKLYN.

>> I WANT THIS ONE -- THE SUN FOR CHRISTMAS.

>> THE SUN OUT OF THE SKY?

OK. CAN YOU SHARE WITH THE REST OF US?

MY NAME IS GREGORY.

I'M CALLED BIG GREG.

I GREW UP IN NEW YORK AND WE SELL CHRISTMAS TREES.

WE HAVE BEEN DOING IT FOR ABOUT 40 YEARS.

IT IS A LOT OF FUN.

I'M ALSO SANTA CLAUS.

AS I WAS LEAVING, THEY WERE SAYING, HE'S THE REAL ONE.

NOT A FAKE ONE.

HE IS THE REAL SANTA.

IT IS A HARD BUSINESS, A RISKY BUSINESS.

YOU GET BAD TREES, BAD LOTS, BAD WORKERS.

PEOPLE CAN BE IN THE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS, YOU CAN BUY MORE TREES.

NINE FOOT TRIP -- TREE.

THE BIG TREES ARE SCARCE.

YOU HAVE TO FOLLOW, HOW WILL THIS YEAR BE?

WHEN PEOPLE FEEL THEIR LIVES ARE IN JEOPARDY OR SCARY OR THINGS LIKE THAT, THEY WANT TO FEEL BETTER ABOUT THEIR HOME.

YOU SEE A LIT TREE THAT SMELLS WONDERFUL IN YOUR HOME, YOU FEEL BETTER.

I PROMISE YOU.

>> I SOLD THE BALSAM THE OTHER DAY.

>> SHE LOVED IT.

SHE IS EXCITED.

>> I'M CHARLES, 56 FROM NORTH CAROLINA AND I GREW CHRISTMAS TREES.

IF YOU COUNT FROM THE SEED, IT TAKES ABOUT 13 YEARS TO GET A CHRISTMAS TREE OFF TO MARKET.

IN AN AVERAGE YEAR WE SELL ABOUT 80-100,000 CHRISTMAS TREES.

>> THERE IS NOT ONE TRADE -- TREE THAT I DON'T KNOW WHO GREW IT.

WE HAVE TREES THAT WERE CUT TWO DAYS AGO.

>> I BROUGHT UP A LOAD OF TREES.

TO MY GOOD FRIEND GREG.

I WAS AMAZED WHEN I GOT HERE.

EVERYBODY IS SO FRIENDLY AND NICE.

>> STAFFING IS A HUGE PROBLEM.

HOW DO YOU FIND QUALITY PEOPLE?

THEY ONLY WANT TO WORK ONLINE.

AND, NEVER STOPS WORKING.

>> MY NAME IS ERIC AND I'M 51.

I LIVE IN QUEBEC, CANADA AND I COME DOWN ONCE A YEAR TO SELL CHRISTMAS TREES WITH BIG GREG.

THE REST OF MY TIME IN CANADA I'M PLANTING TREES AND DOING WATERSHED REHABILITATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL WORK.

>> WE ARE A NOMADIC FAMILY.

HAVE BEEN WORKING HERE WITH MY DAD FOR THREE YEARS ON THIS CHRISTMAS TREE STAND WHICH IS PRETTY FUN, FOR REAL.

>> THIS IS WHERE WE EAT AND SLEEP EVERY DAY AND NIGHT.

THIS IS GREG'S BED AND MY BED.

ALL OF OUR LITTLE STUFF, WE HAVE SOME FOOD OVER HERE.

>> THIS WILL BE MY 11TH YEAR ON THE SIDEWALK SO I HAVE SEEN KIDS GROW UP AND LEAVE THE COLLEGE AND COME BACK WITH THEIR PARENTS AND CONTINUE THE TRADITION.

>> OH YEAH.

IT'S SNOWING!

IT'S A CHRISTMAS MIRACLE.

>> I DO LIKE IT.

SINCE I'VE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH MY FATHER, IT IS A DIFFICULT SITUATION SOMETIMES, BUT I LOVE WORKING WITH HIM AT THE SAME TIME.

YOU CAN'T GET BETTER THAN THAT.

I'M LEARNING A LOT.

MY DAD HAS TAUGHT ME A LOT ABOUT TREES AND THE SELLING BUSINESS OF THIS.

IS THIS TOO BIG?

HOW DO YOU LIKE IT?

>> ASK GREG IF HE CAN CUT US A DEAL.

>> SURE.

>> BIG GREG HAS BEEN NICE TO US.

JUST WORKING WITH HIM AND SEEING HOW HE DOES THINGS, ALL OF THE CHRISTMAS TREE STANDS, IT IS AMAZING.

>> I ABOUT WE DO THE BIG ONE NEXT YEAR?

THERE IS SO MUCH STRESS THIS YEAR.

BUT IT IS LIKE, THIS IS MY LAST YEAR DOING IT.

I CAN'T KEEP DOING IT SO THIS IS IT.

I HAVE CARCINOMA IN MY LUNGS.

THE CHEMO HAS BEEN WORKING BUT IT CAN ONLY WORK FOR SO LONG.

MY SON WILL RUN THE BUSINESS.

I'M SURE I'LL BE INVOLVED BUT I'M NOT DOING THE DAILY, RUNNING AROUND AND HIRING AND FIRING.

IT WAS EYE-OPENING TO ME.

LIFE IS SHORT, IT IS REALLY SHORT FOR ALL OF US.

SO GO OUT AND ENJOY IT.

>> HO HO HO!

GOODBYE.