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Looking for a few ideas of how to dispose of your leftover Christmas tree?

We were too as we are avid recyclers and hate the idea of just tossing it in a landfill.

Here are a few good options for recycling your tree.

Recycle Your Tree

Check with your city or town government for Christmas tree drop off areas, which are often set up near recycling centers. Here, the trees are typically sent through a chipper to be used as mulch for parks and green areas. Some cities have designated Christmas tree pickup days and times, so make note of those. This removes the burden and mess of transporting it yourself.

Restoring Coastal Marshes

Old Christmas trees are a valuable resource on the coasts. In Louisiana, people can put out their trees for curbside pickup and they are dropped in fenced areas on the coast to prevent erosion. The trees help curb saltwater from seeping inward and turn into sediment. This stops the coasts from getting eaten by the sea.

Make Firewood

Chop up your tree and use it as fuel for your fireplace or fire pit. While the needles will dry out quickly, you may need to wait a few months before the log is dry enough to burn.

Create a Fish Habitat

If you have a pond, you can place cut-up pieces of your Christmas tree on the bottom to create places for fish to hide. You can also call your state's Department of Natural Resources to see if they need trees for this purpose.

Remove all decorations before placing it in the water. It is especially important that the tree is free of tinsel, and has not been flocked or treated in any other way. These treatments contain chemicals that can be harmful to fish and other aquatic dwellers.

Bird Feeders

Place the Christmas tree in the garden or backyard and use it as a bird feeder and sanctuary. Fresh orange slices or strung popcorn will attract the birds and they can sit in the branches for shelter.

Mulch

A Christmas tree is biodegradable; its branches may be removed, chipped, and used as mulch in the garden. Put the old tree to work in your own yard as mulch. Just remove your branches and shake off the dead needles. The needles won't collect mold and they decompose slowly.

Decorate Your House with Wreaths and Garlands

Cut off the branches and use them to make winter wreaths or garlands to decorate your house throughout the season. You can add scented pine cones to complement the wonderful smell of fresh trees.

Chipper Party

Rent a wood chipper and invite your friends and neighbors to bring over their Christmas trees for a wood chipping party. Distribute the chips to everyone and enjoy the sites and sounds of a chipper in action.

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