When you're finally ready to take down the lights, re-box the nutcrackers and take down the ornaments, you'll also need to find somewhere to get rid of the prized tree you worked so hard to find.
The good news is most cities offer free recycling programs.
Recycled trees are typically chipped and made into mulch, which is then regularly available for free to residents. (There are few more unique recycling programs as well).
Here are some of the recycling options available this year:
The city of Denver will pick up your tree during its annual Treecycle event. Leave only natural trees without decorations at your regular trash location by 7 a.m. on your scheduled collection day between Dec. 31 and Jan. 11.
Trees may also be dropped off at Cherry Creek Recycling Drop-off (Quebec St. & Cherry Creek South Dr.) or the A1 Organics Monaco Recycling Facility (9109 Monaco St).
The trees collected will be turned into mulch that can be reclaimed for free at the annual mulch giveaway and compost sale in May.
The Cherry Creek Recycling Drop-off will also be accepting old Christmas lights for recycling.
There are three Christmas tree drop-off sites in Arvada.
The City Parks Maintenance Shop (7800 W. 62nd Avenue) is accepting trees Dec. 26 - Jan. 18 from 7 a.m. - 3 p.m., Mondays through Thursdays and 7 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. on Fridays.
Lake Arbor Lake Park (6400 Pomona Drive) is accepting trees Dec. 26 - Jan. 21 at any time.
Stenger Fields (West 58th Avenue and Oak Street) is accepting trees Dec. 26 - Jan. 21 at any time.
Mulch will be available for free at all drop-off sites.
Aurora residents can drop off trees at three locations between Dec. 26 and Jan. 7:
- Del Mar Park, 12000 E. Sixth Ave. (Peoria Street in the west parking lot)
- Olympic Park, 15501 E. Yale Ave. (East of Chambers Road)
- Saddle Rock Golf Course, 21705 E. Arapahoe Road (West of 470)
Boulder residents can also get curbside tree pick-up. Western Disposal will compost Christmas trees left next to residential compost carts on regular collection days Dec. 25 - Jan. 31.
Trees can also be dropped off at the Western Disposal Trash & Recycling Center (5880 Butte Mill Road).
Western Disposal will also recycle broken Christmas lights and gift wrap dropped off at either their Trash & Recycling Center (5880 Butte Mill Road) or at the Boulder County Recycling Center (1901 63rd St).
The City and County of Broomfield has set up seven collection sites for Christmas trees:
- Anthem Community Park, far east side of the parking lot. (½ mile east of Lowell Boulevard and Sheridan Parkway
- Broadlands Park West, northwest side of the parking lot. (Sheridan Blvd. and Meadow Mountain Dr.)
- Bronco Park, north of the backstop. (Westlake Dr. and Grove Cir.)
- Community Park Ball Fields, west of George Hall Field (Community Park Rd. and Spader Way)
- Lac Amora Park, north of the playground. (Miramonte Blvd. and Oak Cir.)
- Meridian Park, west of the backstop. (McKay Cir. and Park Cove Way in McKay Landing)
- Broomfield Recycling Center, west of the recycle bins. (225 Commerce St.)
- Tree Branch Recycling Facility, east of the guard shack by the mulch pile. (2990 W. 124th Ave.)
The collections sites are open Dec. 15 - Jan. 13. Trees can continue to be dropped off at the Tree Branch Recycling Facility after Jan. 13.
Mulch from recycled trees will be available for free at the Tree Branch Recycling Facility free of charge.
From Dec. 26 - Jan. 31, Christmas trees can be dropped off at several locations in Castle Rock:
- Fairgrounds Regional Park (500 Fairgrounds Drive)
- Founders Park (4671 Enderud Blvd)
- Metzler Ranch Community Park (4175 Trail Boss Drive)
- Paintbrush Park (3492 Meadows Blvd)
Mulch will be available for free at Metzler Ranch Park while supplies last.
In Centennial, the Willow Springs Service Center at 7100 S. Holly St. will be collecting Christmas trees for recycling Dec. 26 - mid-January every day during daylight hours.
There are four parks throughout Englewood that will accept Christmas trees for recycling from Jan. 1 - Jan. 31:
- Bates/Logan Park (2938 S. Logan Street)
- Belleview Park (5001 S. Inca Street)
- Centennial Park (4630 S. Decatur Street)
- Miller Field (3600 S. Elati Street)
Self-service mulch will then be available to residents a quarter of a mile north of the City of Englewood's Service Center (2800 S Platte River Drive) around the bend on the right-hand side.
There are three Highlands Ranch parks that are accepting Christmas trees for recycling:
- Dad Clark Park (3385 Asterbrook Cir.)
- Redstone Park (3280 Redstone Park Cir.)
- Toepfer Park (9480 Venneford Ranch Rd.)
The trees can be dropped off anytime from Dec. 25 until Jan. 17.
Free mulch is available at each site while supplies last.
Lakewood is offering tree recycling Dec. 26 - Jan. 13 from 7 a.m. until 3 p.m. each day.
Trees must be dropped off at Lakewood’s Greenhouse, 9556 W. Yale Ave, between Estes and old Kipling streets.
Recycling is free and mulch will also be available upon request.
Christmas trees can be dropped off in the parking lot adjacent to the soccer fields at Cornerstone Park (SE corner of W. Belleview Avenue and S. Windermere Street) in Littleton.
The site will be running during daylight hours Dec. 26 through mid-January.
Free mulch from these trees will be available Fridays until April. The self-service mulch pile is located on the northwest corner of South Prescott Street and West Prentice Avenue.
Christmas trees can be recycled from Dec. 26 to Jan. 6 at five Longmont locations:
- Roosevelt Park (South of 8th Avenue and Pratt Street)
- Garden Acres Park (18th Avenue and Tulip Street)
- Kanemoto Park (South Pratt Parkway and South Coffman Street)
- Centennial Park (Alpine Street and Verdant Circle)
- Waste Diversion Center (140 Martin St.)
Recycled trees are turned into mulch that is then available to residents or placed into area lakes to create fish habitats.
The Waste Diversion Center also collects wrapping paper, Christmas lights and block styrofoam for recycling.
Parker residents who are looking to recycle their trees can drop them off in the east parking lot at Salisbury Park (12010 S. Motsenbocker Rd.) from 6 a.m. - 11 p.m., Dec. 25 - Jan. 29.
There will also be self-serve mulch available on-site during the first week of January.
Trees will also be collected through Douglas County at Bayou Gulch (4815 Fox Sparrow Road) and Challenger Regional Park (17299 E. Lincoln Ave.) from Dec. 26 - Jan. 31.
Christmas trees can either be dropped of or picked up for recycling in Thornton.
Residents can place trees at the curb on regular trash pick up days between Jan. 2 and Jan. 7 and they will be collected for recycling.
Those who would rather drop off their trees can bring them to the Infrastructure Maintenance Center (12450 Washington Street) on Jan. 12 between 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Proof of Thornton residence will be required to drop off a Christmas tree for recycling.
Christmas trees can be dropped off in the lower parking lot of the City Park Fitness Center (10475 Sheridan Blvd) in Westminster Dec. 25 - Jan. 20.
If you'd rather have your tree picked up from your curb, a local boy scout troop will come get it on Dec. 29 and Jan. 5 for their annual fundraiser. Call 303-706-3389 to schedule a pickup.
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