Nothing beats how festive a real Christmas tree makes your home feel during the holidays. The scents of fresh pine and freshly baked cookies will give your home a warm and cozy feeling all month long.
But what about when the holidays are over? Did you know you can recycle your Christmas tree? It’s one of the best ways to dispose of it after the holidays. Don’t just toss it to the curb this year—give it a second life!
Getting Rid of the Tree
First thing’s first: you’ll want to take off all ornaments, tinsel, lights and other decorations. If there’s any trace left behind, the tree will be treated as regular garbage and you won’t be able to recycle it. Make sure you keep everything organized and labeled to make the next year’s decorating easy.
Once that’s done, the next step is figuring out what to do with it.
Some cities will accept trees at designated drop-off areas a few weeks after Christmas. Your waste company might offer curbside pickup so check with them if you don’t want to haul the tree around yourself.
Why Recycle?
Live trees are biodegradable and can be transformed in many ways. Once recycled, many cities will run trees through a chipper to create mulch for gardens. They can also be shredded to create an all-natural pathway on hiking trails or in parks.
If your city doesn’t offer pickup, get creative! Find someone with a fishpond—old Christmas trees make a great refuge and feeding area for fish.
Cleaning Up After the Tree’s Gone
Once the tree’s gone, it’s time to clean up the aftermath. We’re talking pine needles, sap and its stand.
Use a broom to sweep up most of the needles so they don’t clog your vacuum cleaner. Tree sap can be removed from surfaces with a mix of warm water and a little bit of soap. Lastly, you should carefully remove the tree stand and dump any leftover water.
Over to you—are you planning on recycling your Christmas tree this year? Let us know in the comments!
