What To Do With Your Old Christmas Tree

When you've bid farewell to festive lights and decorations, you might be left wondering what to do with your old Christmas tree. Instead of letting your tree end up in the landfill, consider these sustainable and creative ideas for giving your real Christmas tree a new purpose.

7 Ways to Repurpose or Recycle Your Christmas Tree

1. Turn Into Mulch

One of the most eco-friendly ways to recycle your Christmas tree is by turning it into mulch. Many communities have tree recycling programs where they chip the trees into mulch that can be used for your garden. Mulch helps retain moisture in the soil, protects plant roots, and regulates soil temperature. 

2. Use as a Bird Feeder

You can place your Christmas tree in your backyard to provide food and shelter for birds. Birds often seek refuge in the branches, and adding orange slices, popcorn garlands, and ornaments made from bird seeds will give them plenty of food. Just be sure to remove any remaining decorations and tinsel before placing it outdoors.

3. Create a Bug Hotel

Another way to help the creatures in your garden is by creating a bug hotel, and your Christmas tree provides plenty of wood to use for this project! 

4. Use for Crafts

Get creative and use your Christmas tree in a variety of DIY crafts.

Examples of things you could create include:

• Wooden coasters using the trunk.
• Rustic ornaments.
• Door wreath.
• Garlands.
• Potpourri.
• Plant markers.
• Wall art.

The possibilities are endless, and crafting with your tree is a fun experience you can get the whole family involved with. Check out our Eco-Friendly Christmas Pinterest board for more inspo.

5. Donate to Local Farms

Many local farms are happy to accept Christmas trees as donations for their animals. You could try reaching out to nearby farms or animal sanctuaries to see if they have a use for your tree.

6. Add to Your Compost Pile

Another eco-friendly way to recycle your Christmas tree is to add it to your compost pile. If you go down this route, you'll need to chop the tree into very small pieces.

Composting has a wide range of benefits, including improving soil quality, promoting healthy plant growth, and reducing food waste, so using this option is great for the environment too.

7. Give To Your Local Recycling Center

Check with your local recycling center to see if they accept Christmas trees. Many recycling centers will take your tree and use it to create mulch, compost, and wood chips.

We hope this has given you some ideas of what to do with your old Christmas tree. You can give your tree a second life that benefits your garden, local birds and bugs, farm animals, and even your own home. Love helping the environment? So do we! Which is why we donate to ecological nonprofits and plant trees for every order placed - shop our nature apparel today.