Uber Will Sell Christmas Trees Thursday

Uber, the taxi- and sedan-dispatching company that loves to get in fights with local regulators, is declaring war on Christmas. Tomorrow, Uber will allow its users in Washington and nine other cities to have a freshly cut Christmas tree delivered with just a few smartphone taps.

Uber Christmas Tree will appear in the app tomorrow, and for $135, loyal Uber-ites too busy to head down to the local tree seller can have a seven-foot-tall Fraser Fir delivered to their doorstep. Just like with Uber’s taxi and sedan options, the transaction will be billed to a customer’s on-file credit card. The trees will come netted, along with a stand and an “Uber gift.” (Perhaps a Fountainhead-themed ornament to satisfy Uber CEO and Ayn Rand superfan Travis Kalanick?)

The trees and deliveries are actuallly being facilitated by the Home Depot, though it’s consistent with Uber’s previous stunts with delivered goods. The car service has previously offered roses on Valentine’s Day, ice cream on hot summer days, and in October, it even offered 15-minute snuggle sessions with litters of kittens.

Benjamin Freed

Staff Writer

Benjamin Freed joined Washingtonian in August 2013 and covers politics, business, and media. He was previously the editor of DCist and has also written for Washington City Paper, the New York Times, the New Republic, Slate, and BuzzFeed. He lives in Adams Morgan.