Merchants Of Joy Must-See Movie Review: Real-Life Kindness, Determination Expressed By Our Own Local Tree Sellers On Streets Of NYC – Streaming December 1st

Merchants Of Joy Movie Review: Real-Life Kindness, Determination Expressed By Our Own Local Tree Sellers On Streets Of NYC

As they express in the film, real live Christmas Trees are better for the environment than plastic trees, and buying from local sellers is always better for the local economy.  While big box stores have high volume and lower prices, the heart and soul just isn’t in it.  These tree sellers know their community members, and are an important part of holiday life here in New York City. 

This film takes place in New York City, of course, and it tells the story of the Tree People (that’s what Islanders always called them – even though they aren’t trees themselves). If you’re a Staten Islander, you’ve seen them at the Staples/ Rickles/ Target parking lot on Forest Avenue or maybe all over Hylan Blvd or somewhere else in an empty parking lot…. They’re all over the place even to this day. People love real Christmas trees, and it’s great to also support small businesses.

Unlike at the big box stores (notably Home Depot and Lowes), NYC’s Christmas tree sellers are a long term part of their community. They’ve sold trees to the same families year after year, decade after decade, becoming part of the fabric of our great city.

You meet all the tree sellers (except one notably missing seller), and this film serves to humanize them. One of them is a recovered addict, of both alcohol and drugs. Another is a positive product of the welfare/ food stamps system having grown up with a single mom living on a very low income. One is a real life Santa Claus man, who visits the local hospital that treats disabled kids and he hangs out with and takes photos with the kids. Some of them are non verbal, many are in wheelchairs, but he loves them all the same – just like the real life Santa does. Unfortunately, as we follow their story, we learn that Big Greg (as Santa man is called) has been diagnosed with prostate cancer and is undergoing conventional treatment, so hasn’t very long left. He’s already been preparing to pass the company on to his son, and this just accelerated the process.

The really fun thing about this film is that they’re not REALLY competitors. They’re more like family. Yes, they squabble and have their differences, but at the end of the day they have a strong bond developed over decades that money can’t touch.

Every year they go through a process to get the street corners they’ll have for the season. They build little sheds and other temporary structures to use during the year. Then the season starts and they don’t take a breath until every tree is sold and it’s Christmas Day. In Manhattan the trees are doubtlessly quite expensive. But they’re selling more than a tree. They’re selling community and caring too.

This movie was interesting and heartwarming. The families and how they feel about New York really comes through. They’re all real New Yorkers, part of the fabric of this town.

It was really nice to get a glimpse inside their lives. Some of the kind things they do, including hiring the homeless as security and giving them a place to stay as the weather cools down. It was well put together and now I want to go buy a tree in Manhattan🤣. But you can go to your local island tree retailer to get in on this fun. And if you’re in the city, stop by and say hello to the people you got to know in this film. They seem to be pretty pleasant to be around.

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This film is highly recommended, and I would give it five stars.

Here are a few quotes:

Big Greg: There’s no reason not to start enjoying life right this second. No matter what your circumstances are. My circumstances have gotten worse I guess but I’m happier than I was. And everybody can be as happy as you wanna be. Who said that? Einstein I think, somebody like that. You can be as happy as you choose to be.

George from Vermont: We brighten up people’s lives…

Heather Neville: I’ve never been in a situation where someone doesn’t leave with a Tree over like a couple of dollars. Like a business owner it’s just who I am, you know like my shell, but my inner person I’m a human. It’s not gonna make or break me to give somebody a tree, but it might make or break their spirit, so I don’t want to be held responsible for breaking somebody’s spirit.

Ciree: It’s not just a business. It’s a family really. It is a family. We’re like a small little tree family, each of us are the aunts and uncles over there and then we have our own kids.

Santa Greg: I asked Santa this year for medical help. I truly believe If you ask Santa from your heart for what you need and what you want, Santa will give it to you.

Heather: We spent the last 40 days giving people all this joy, being part of these wonderful moments of people’s lives. Every year I do this, it is a shot in the dark, but it’s like nothing else. We get to watch families grow and hear about their stories every year. Those are the most valuable moments in life.

George from Vermont: The Christmas tree is a talisman of ancient power that brings together people and families that gather around it to celebrate togetherness. It’s powerful especially here in the gray of nyc, we bring all this green energy.

Brooklyn George: Christmas trees, it’s not about you. You’re not just selling a product, you’re selling moments in time.

Christmas is believing in something you can’t see

Santa is a frame of mind….

🎄✨ IT’S THE MOST WONDERFUL DOC OF THE YEAR! ✨🎄

Directed by Celia Aniskovich

Streaming Globally on Prime Video December 1

✨WORLD PREMIERE AT DOC NYC✨

Fri, Nov 14 6:30 PM @ SVA Theatre

In the city that never sleeps, five families hustle each winter to turn sidewalks into holiday outposts. The Merchants of Joy follows these Christmas die-hards as they source, sell, and safeguard a family tradition at risk. It’s a warm, grounded portrait of pride, grit, and the joy they bring—one tree, one customer, one season at a time.

Amazon MGM Studios Presents an Original Documentary, a Dial Tone Films Production, an Artists Equity Production, in association with Boat Rocker Studios and Epic Magazine

Directed by Celia Aniskovich

Based on The Epic Magazine & New York Magazine Article, “Secrets of the Christmas Tree Trade” by Owen Long

Produced by Celia Aniskovich, Zoe Vock, Arthur Spector, Joshua Davis, Joshuah Bearman

Executive Produced by Todd Lubin, Ivan Schneeberg, David Fortier, Douglas Banker, Ben Affleck, Gillian Brown, Dani Bernfeld

Runtime 90 minutes

New York, New York 11/14/25 World Premiere of Amazon MGM Studios “ The Merchants of Joy “ at DOC NYC .
: George Smith ,Heather Neville , Celia Aniskovich, Ciree Nash , George Nash, Jane Waterman and ” Little “George Walsh
– PHOTO by: Dave Allocca / Starpix
– Location: SVA

Banner Image: Movie poster. Image Credit – Prime Video