Christmas is over, the joy over gifts and holiday feasts already has to be refreshed, and the conifer withers away in the corner of the living room. The sad sight of the once green, bushy tree becomes hard to bear by February or March at the latest. Maybe it's still standing in your yard in June. Every year the same question comes up again, once you've finally worked up enough motivation to get rid of it: 'What's the best way to dispose of this thing?' Along with a handful of tips, you'll find a small checklist for disposal at the end of the article.
Official collection points for Christmas trees
Even though the Swedes and other Scandinavian countries have a rather pragmatic way of disposing of the tree on the last day of the Christmas season, their St. Knut's Day - be careful! Don't take the TV ad of a certain furniture store from the north as your model and simply throw the tree out the window. Over here, in the absence of such traditions, that can quickly backfire - and get expensive. Because the garbage collection here usually doesn't pick the tree up from the curb.
Instead, in Germany nearly every town offers a wide range of options for getting rid of the withered conifer: from municipal collection points for garbage pickup all over town to the local recycling center to facilities that are happy to recycle the tree. Official collection points are announced by the town - for example on its website, its Facebook page, or, classically, in the local newspaper.
May I put the Christmas tree straight in the trash?
Dispose of the Christmas tree without leaving your own property? That's possible, provided you have an organic-waste bin or compost available and you have permission to dispose of the old tree in it, cut into small pieces. But if you live in an apartment building, for example, resentment quickly arises - after all, if every household in the building put its Christmas tree in the trash, the bins would fill up fast. So pay attention to the building's rules on waste disposal and, beyond that, show consideration for your neighbors.
May I burn the Christmas tree or dispose of it in the forest?
Do you have a fireplace or wood stove? Do you maybe know someone who heats their home with one? Then burning the Christmas tree is an option. But it's important that it first be thoroughly dried out - at least 12 months of drying is called for! Otherwise the moisture can cause dangerous smoke development. You also have to keep in mind that most conifers produce a lot of resin - the resin is essentially brought to a boil and can spray out of the stove. So only pros should burn their tree.
Sustainable Christmas: renting a tree and returning it
Ever heard of renting a Christmas tree and then returning it? It's actually possible! In some German cities, various providers have already established themselves that deliver potted Christmas trees and even pick them up again. Depending on the provider, the tree then costs a bit more than the spruce from the lot next door, that goes without saying. In return, you can be sure that no tree is harmed - instead they're replanted after Christmas. You also have less work. Celebrate Christmas sustainably and rent a Christmas tree - so why not? If that's not an option for you, you can at least think about upcycling: could the branches be useful for your children's crafts, or those of friends, maybe even at the local kindergarten?
Checklist
Has all the tree decoration (especially tinsel!) been removed?
Do you have the option and permission to dispose of it in the organic-waste bin or on the compost?
Are there collection points announced by the town or municipality for garbage pickup?
Are there nearby facilities like zoos, animal shelters, horse stables, or the like to donate the (organic) tree to?
How about renting a Christmas tree next year?
On the topic of upcycling: can something still be crafted from the tree? Maybe the local kindergarten is interested.
