NYC Christmas Tree Sellers Doc Film ‘The Merchants of Joy’ Trailer
by Alex Billington
November 10, 2025
Source: YouTube
“You’re in a different world when you’re in tree world.” 🎄🎄 Prime Video has revealed the amusing official trailer for The Merchants of Joy, a new documentary film made by filmmaker Celia Aniskovich. This is premiering soon at the 2025 DOC NYC Film Festival in the Big Apple and will also debut on Prime Video for streaming in December just after. It’s that time of year again! Get your glamorous green holiday decoration before they sell out! The film follows five NYC families as they source, bargain and hustle to sell Christmas trees, blending street smarts and holiday spirit. Described as “a warm, grounded portrait of pride, grit, and the joy they bring — one tree, one customer, one season at a time.” Anyone who has been in New York City around Christmastime has seen so many of these sellers out on street corners everywhere. I love the smell of pine trees and it’s always so exciting to try and find the perfect one for your home. This doc looks like it’s as much about the intense rivalry between these sellers as it is about the magic of Christmas trees. Looks good.
Here’s the official trailer (+ poster) for Celia Aniskovich’s doc film The Merchants of Joy, from YouTube:
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. The Merchants of Joy is directed by the journalist / doc filmmaker Celia Aniskovich, director of the films Burn It Down!, Fruitcake Fraud, and Call Me Miss Cleo previously, plus other short films & projects. Based on The Epic Magazine & New York Magazine Article, “Secrets of the Christmas Tree Trade” by Owen Long. It’s produced by Celia Aniskovich, Zoe Vock, Arthur Spector, Joshua Davis, Joshuah Bearman. This is premiering at the 2025 DOC NYC Film Festival this month. Amazon debuts The Merchants of Joy streaming on Prime Video starting December 1st, 2025 coming soon. Anyone want to watch this?
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