Waste not want not, used Christmas trees

[KittenFishMom]

I am a daughter of a daughter of the Depression.  We try not to let anything go to waste.

After Christmas, We drive around looking for big dense Christmas trees on the side of the road and toss several in the back of the truck. Then we bring them home and arrange them in ways that the birds find tasteful near the birdfeeders.  It give the birds a place to hang out and chat as well as cover from the winter winds and weather. And if a eagle or hawk flies by, all the birds melt into the trees without a trace.  

In the spring we chain the trees to the seawall at the front of the lawn. this gives small fish shelter from big fish and a great place for fish to spawn. The birds still like hanging out in the branches as they slowly lose their needles.  The water snakes also like to sun them selves while hunting small fish and frogs.  

In the fall they are sometimes used in bon fires, or cut up into kindling.

It makes Christmas last all year round.

[Aqua junky]

Awesome Ideas. We too use real tree's every year and I honestly I hate doing it cause I hate to cut down a tree just for 1 month of decorations. But my wife loves the look and smell of a real pine. So I dont say much I just go along with the flow.  

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

My city picks them up with the leaf piles and it is turned into mulch. I would use mine in a garden but I don't have one, just containers and a small patio so nowhere to put one outside. When I feel like having a Christmas tree it's always a fresh one- because it supports the farmers who grow them, it's not made in another country (no offense to other countries at all- it's just that it is a shame we don't make much here for ourselves), it won't be (eventually) more plastic in a landfill as with artificial trees. 

The benefits to me other than the above are that my house smells nice, and I don't have more stuff to store. 

Edited December 29, 2021 by xXInkedPhoenixX

[Taco Playz]

We just have a artificial tree because we don’t like the pine needles everywhere. But I agree, it’s always best to preserve things. 

[Flumpweesel]

One of the local nature reserves near me takes old Christmas trees to use so you can dump your tree and try and spot red squirrels or the local tips compost them for the parks.

Not that I have tree but it's nice to know they aren't wasted.

[Gator]

@KittenFishMom; When I still lived in Orlando, FL., I would go around picking up used Christmas trees, taking them home, remove any and all tinsel, tie three of them together at their bases, tie on a cinder block, take them out in the lake behind the house, and sink them. Whenever friends or relatives came and wanted to go fishing, I knew right where to take them, but not just one location on that lake, but several, but used Christmas trees are bio-degradable so they have to be replaced from time to time.