Christmas Tree Disposal

After a week-long celebrations of Christmas, it is the time to take off the lights and dispose off the tree. Christmas tree is traditionally taken down on the 'Twelfth Night' (January 6). It may sound painful to dispose the beautifully adorned Christmas tree, which graced your premises for many days. However, according to the customs, Christmas trees should be disposed off, once the festival is over. While you can still store your artificial Christmas tree, when it comes to the real one, you are left with no option other than disposing it. Disposing a real tree may seem to be a daunting task, because you need to take off all the embellishments without causing damage to them. We are here to help you with some tips for Christmas tree disposal.

Disposal Of Christmas Tree

• The first thing to do, while disposing your Christmas tree, is to take off its lights. Make sure all light bulbs are taken off, one by one. Do it with utmost care, because tiny glass pieces may prick your fingers, if the bulbs are already broken. Always switch off the power supply to the tree, while before the lights.
• Next, take off all the big and small ornaments and other decorative pieces from the tree. Make sure that all plastic, sequins, glitter and ball ornaments are removed and nothing is left in the inner branches of the tree.
• Lay the Christmas tree on its side very carefully and take off the stand slowly. Keep a bucket nearby in order to pour out any water that was in the tree stand.
• Next, take the tree outside your home and chop it up. You may make use of the small branches as humus for your garden and the trunk as firewood. If you don't have a fireplace, slice the trunk into two or three pieces.
• Collect the chopped up branches, needles and trunk in trash bags and put it in your trash can for the cleaners to pick it up. Many communities have special cleaning services right after Christmas. You may contact your local authorities for further details regarding the same.
• Another eco-friendly way to dispose off your Christmas tree is to have it recycled at a recycling center. Get your tree recycled and set an example for others to be a responsible citizen.

Tips

• While removing the lights from your Christmas tree, it is suggested to wear rubber gloves. This prevents any chances of injury, because the gloves would protect your hands from the glass pieces of broken bulbs (if any).
• Remove the garlands from your tree very carefully, because the embellishment would be wrapped intricately.
• Store all the ornaments that are in good condition, to use them for the next year.