its traditional symbol -- the Christmas tree.

For several large stores have reported this week they had run out of their tree stocks.

Among them were MarketPlace, Lindo's Market and Giant Foods.

Some seasonal shoppers have now complained to The Royal Gazette about the shortage.

"What am I going to tell my children?'' moaned one Pembroke mother-of-three, who asked not to be named.

She added: "Next year I will probably go away to get an artificial tree.'' Families, it seems, had to be particularly quick off the mark to snap up a tree, in stark contrast to last year.

Then merchants complained about having to trash unsold trees.

Despite the shortage, this year is unlikely to be as bad as 1991 which saw ugly scenes as hundreds of people crushed against a container of Canadian pines at St. Paul's Church, Paget.

Police even arrested two people, one for shouting obscenities, as tempers flared and goodwill was rudely elbowed aside.

Mr. Ray Lutkin, manager of Lindo's, said: "We sold out last Saturday. I believe there is a little shortage this year.'' He said Lindo's and its related store, Giant Foods, had brought in 500 trees.

But the supply had run out.

The four-foot by six-foot trees cost $40, while people paid $50 for the six-foot by eight-foot ones.

Mr. Lutkin said last year there was a surplus of trees and some had to be taken to the dump.

In addition, tree prices were slashed in a bid to entice shoppers.

Since selling out, Mr. Lutkin said he had not been besieged by shoppers asking for Christmas trees.

"We've not had a lot of inquiries since (last) Saturday afternoon. Most people seem to have been satisfied.'' Vice-president of the MarketPlace, Mr. Allan Doughty, told a similar story.

He said the MarketPlace had brought in 2,000 trees from Canada, and had been sold out for several days.

Merchants were determined not to overstock this year.

"Nobody wants to have Christmas trees after Christmas. It would be just like having Easter eggs after Easter Monday.'' Mr. Doughty said the MarketPlace had stocked two types of "beautiful'' trees, selling for $20 and $40.