With more new designs and decorating trends available year after year, many homeowners find themselves frequently replacing their old decorations in favour of trendier ones. So, what can you do when you find yourself with a heap of old holiday décor? First, don't throw them out right away. Find ways to repurpose your decorations instead, to minimize unnecessary waste going into your local landfill. Or, if they're really up for disposal, do your due diligence in knowing how to get rid of these items safely and responsibly. Here are our tips for recycling and repurposing old Christmas decorations.
How To Dispose or Recycle Christmas Decorations
Do note that waste collection and recycling policies and programs vary from city to city, so it's best to confirm what applies to your area. Here is a general guide:
| Christmas Décor Type | Can You Reuse/Donate? | How To Dispose |
|---|---|---|
| Broken/old Christmas light strings | No | Contact your local e-waste recycler, or look for take-back programs from retailers/big box stores |
| Glass ornaments | Yes, repurpose into other décor or for crafts | Check local glass recycling programs in your area |
| Plastic ornaments | Yes, reuse for crafts or donate full sets | Check local plastics recycling programs in your area |
| Tinsel, ribbons, and fabric bows | Yes, reuse for crafts | Usually not recyclable or compostable |
| Greeting cards and wrapping paper with foil, glitter, velvet, or other mixed materials | Yes, reuse for crafts | Usually not recyclable or compostable, goes into trash |
| Artificial wreaths and garlands | Yes, donate or repurpose if still in displayable condition | Usually not recyclable or compostable, goes into trash due to mixed materials |
| Real wreaths, garlands, and trees | No | Compostable after removing wires, plastic decorations, and other materials attached |
Some general tips:
- Paper products (plain or matte gift wrap, Christmas cards) can go into curbside recycling. However, fancier materials often are rejected by recycling facilities, so any décor or gift items in this category is usually trashed.
- Real foliage from Christmas trees, wreaths, and garlands are compostable, provided you remove any other material you displayed it with (light strings, metal frames and florist wires, plastic accessories).
- Burnt-out or damaged Christmas lights and other lighted decorations are trickier to dispose of because they contain bits of glass, wiring, and metal filaments. These belong in e-waste recycling facilities.
How To Upcycle Christmas Decorations
Get the whole family involved in your initiative to have a more environmentally conscious holiday. Aside from decorating cookies and wrapping presents, everyone can enjoy working on these Christmas décor recycling projects together.
DIY Greeting Cards
Greeting cards are a huge part of Christmas. Spruce up plain cardstock from the stationery store with bits of old tinsel, ribbon, and tree garlands. Glue small pieces of holly or berry sprigs on the corners of the card. Your recipients are sure to appreciate the personal touch of your DIY Christmas cards. You can also turn them into gift tags: cut the front half into smaller rectangles and use the blank side to write the recipient's name.
Make Festive Centrepieces
Old, and even broken, Christmas tree ornaments make great table centrepieces, wall art, and even chandeliers. Take a tall clear vase, glass hurricane, or wooden bowl and fill with assorted tree ornaments such as balls, pinecones, and tinsel. Alternatively, fill the centres of plain or undecorated Christmas wreaths. You can also wrap lengths of old tree ribbon or bead garlands around old vases or large glass jars, and place small groups of these festive containers on console tables or shelves. For vertical decor, try filling shadow boxes with lighter ornaments and mounting them.
Reuse Gift Wrap and Ornaments for Crafting
Save gift wrap and old tree accents with beautiful colours and interesting patterns or textures to use for collage-making or decoupage. Ribbons, twine, and tinsel can all be reused for various craft projects, even for other holidays: a red ribbon comes in handy for Valentine's Day DIY card making. Old feathers, tree picks, and lightweight tree ornaments make fantastic accents on gift-wrapped presents.
Decorate a Kid's Christmas Tree
Get the kids in on the joy of preparing for the holiday season by giving them their own small tree to decorate. Our small Christmas trees under 6 feet are the perfect size for little hands. Give them your old ornaments to hang and encourage their creativity by challenging them to reuse Christmas cards and gift wrap as tree décor: cut into triangles for bunting, or clip circles directly onto branches. Display the tree in their bedroom or den for a fun, treasured tradition.
Customize Wreaths and Garlands for Donation
Making Christmas decorations from recycled materials and donating them to your local community centres, churches, or non-profit organizations is a worthy tradition to start with your kids. Many popular DIY wreath ideas include tying scraps of old Christmas ribbon on branches and clipping small Christmas cards using wooden clothespins to create a rustic holiday wreath. You can also reuse old lightweight ornaments as wreath or garland accents.
Host a Christmas Décor Swap Meet
If your ornament sets don't show any signs of wear and tear but you want to make room for newer décor, consider swapping with your family and friends. Throw an exchange party where everyone brings an array of old but usable ornaments they're willing to trade. To make it even more exciting, hold a blind exchange by wrapping and tagging the old ornaments with specific numbers, then take turns picking numbers off a bowl.
Learn More About Our Sustainability Journey
From recycled and plant-based plastics in our True Needle® tips to artificial tree recycling pilots, explore how we're rethinking materials, reducing packaging waste, and developing recycling options for the future.
Insider's Tip
Turn ornament recycling into a yearly family tradition: set aside an afternoon before the holiday rush hits to sort, repurpose, or donate décor together before new pieces come out of storage.
Frequently Asked Questions
How To Dispose of Christmas Light Strands?
Broken or old light strings should not go in curbside recycling, where they can tangle sorting equipment. Contact your local e-waste recycler or look for take-back programs offered by retailers and big box stores. If recycling is unavailable, ask your regular waste hauler about proper disposal.
Where Is the Best Place To Donate Christmas Decorations?
A local nonprofit thrift store is a good starting point for donating Christmas decorations in usable condition. You can also ask nearby community organizations whether they need holiday décor. Confirm what they accept before dropping off your items.
Where Can I Recycle Christmas Decorations?
Check your city or county's recycling guide for options by item. Light strands may need a special drop-off, while undecorated real trees may qualify for mulching or composting. Glass and plastic ornaments might be accepted into recycling programs, but it depends on your area.
How To Get Rid of Christmas Decor?
Donate, sell, or give away decorations that are still usable. For broken or damaged items, check local recycling and disposal rules. Where trash disposal is permitted, make sure you secure broken glass decorations in a sealed, labelled container to protect collection workers.
Do Thrift Stores Take Old Christmas Decorations?
Thrift stores commonly accept gently used and still-working Christmas decorations, but donation policies vary. Check with your local donation centre before bringing ornaments, wreaths, artificial trees, or lights, and make sure your items are clean and usable.
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