To hate seeing half-dead Christmas trees dumped outside

MostHighlyFlavoredGravy · 2025-01-05T09:38:56+00:00

Inspired by another thread about xmas lights, one of the most depressing sights of the year IMO is when people leave their real xmas trees dumped in front of their houses in early January. I get that they are (mostly) awaiting a booked collection from a charity etc, so I'm not suggesting that those people are doing anything wrong or should do anything different, but it always looks a bit sad, especially before 5 Jan. AIBU?

SnowballSandwich · 06/01/2025 10:27

Ifailed · 05/01/2025 20:38

We get ours collected in exchange for a donation to the local hospice. They get shredded and used for mulch or whatever so they are not wasted or ending up in landfill.

How about not buying a tree and handing over the cost to the Hospice?

I like to support local businesses, donate to the hospice and I like celebrating Christmas.

Original poster

MostHighlyFlavoredGravy · 06/01/2025 08:40

Hermyknee · 06/01/2025 07:17

The tree has been dying all the time it was in your house OP. It’s never been half dead. I don’t worry about the trees - that’s what they were bred for and they don’t have feelings or pain receptors. I do look at my leather shoes and feel sorry for the animal that was bred for us to eat and wear it.

Again, you're misunderstanding my point. Perhaps I shouldn't have used the word "sad" in my OP! I just dislike seeing a load of dead trees discarded outside houses every time I leave the house in early Jan (particularly in cases where no collection has been arranged and they will sit there for weeks!). Nothing about feeling sorry for the trees or being sentimental.

(You've reminded me of that episode of Friends where Phoebe feels sorry for all the dead trees that she thinks have missed out on their chance to be decorated! 🤣)

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Hermyknee · 06/01/2025 07:17

The tree has been dying all the time it was in your house OP. It’s never been half dead. I don’t worry about the trees - that’s what they were bred for and they don’t have feelings or pain receptors. I do look at my leather shoes and feel sorry for the animal that was bred for us to eat and wear it.

Original poster

MostHighlyFlavoredGravy · 06/01/2025 06:32

nationalsausagefund · 06/01/2025 05:41

I bloody LOVE taking my tree down. It goes up mid-December and I’m sick of the sight of it by New Year – I love the moment it goes and you regain so much space in your sitting room it feels like you’ve had an extension built. The crunch as you hoover up the pine needles!

I’m also fond of watching DP mutter swear words under his breath as he wrestles the things out of the front door and down to the collection point.

I love the big piles of trees in the park awaiting collection. It fees ritualistic: same way as turning on the lights and having a tree in the first place is ritualistic, the big pile of trees in the biting cold feels very January and new beginnings – out with the old. Everyone carrying their tree through the big park and gritting their teeth as other people make jolly remarks about their difficult task!

This does sound like a nice ritual - again, not the same as the type of scene I am talking about

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Original poster

MostHighlyFlavoredGravy · 06/01/2025 06:30

TimeForATerf · 06/01/2025 05:32

You would hate me OP, my tree is down at the recycling centre on the 27th every year. Always the first in the garden waste skip. I can’t wait for collection, those that do, end up as hedging around the reservoir to stop kids and dogs going in the water. They look lovely and natural.

Why would I hate you for taking your tree to be recycled? Unless your tree has been dumped haphazardly on the front step for a week before being taken away then you've misunderstood my point

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nationalsausagefund · 06/01/2025 05:41

I bloody LOVE taking my tree down. It goes up mid-December and I’m sick of the sight of it by New Year – I love the moment it goes and you regain so much space in your sitting room it feels like you’ve had an extension built. The crunch as you hoover up the pine needles!

I’m also fond of watching DP mutter swear words under his breath as he wrestles the things out of the front door and down to the collection point.

I love the big piles of trees in the park awaiting collection. It fees ritualistic: same way as turning on the lights and having a tree in the first place is ritualistic, the big pile of trees in the biting cold feels very January and new beginnings – out with the old. Everyone carrying their tree through the big park and gritting their teeth as other people make jolly remarks about their difficult task!

TimeForATerf · 06/01/2025 05:32

You would hate me OP, my tree is down at the recycling centre on the 27th every year. Always the first in the garden waste skip. I can’t wait for collection, those that do, end up as hedging around the reservoir to stop kids and dogs going in the water. They look lovely and natural.

Illjusthavethebreadsticks · 06/01/2025 05:25

I get really attached to my tree stupid I know. Mine also goes out into the back garden so I don't feel quite as guilty as leaving it out at the bins.

metellaestinatrio · 06/01/2025 05:16

TotallyTwisted · 05/01/2025 10:08

YANBU. Even worse when you see a tree that still looks fine dumped outside on Boxing Day like I did!

Agreed! Although generally I would say people who have real trees tend to put them up later and keep them until 6 January. The people who put their tree up on 1 November and take everything down on Boxing Day tend to have plastic ones.

I too was sad to take the tree down yesterday and feel like the sitting room is bare while the poor tree is outside waiting for the council collection.

coxesorangepippin · 06/01/2025 02:16

Me too.

It's so sad

ObelixtheGaul · 06/01/2025 02:14

Bideshi · 05/01/2025 16:48

I came on to say this. I live in a Christmas tree area and they are exactly that: a crop grown for a specific purpose. Nothing to get sentimental about.

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Yeah, I know that logically, but the thing is, my potatoes and carrots haven't been a cheerful part of my living room for a month. If I put the Brussels Sprouts in a prime spot in the lounge, dressed them to look lovely, and enjoyed seeing them for a month, I might view my sprouts as I do my tree.

I don't think the sentimentality is exactly for the tree, it's what it's been part of, IYSWIM.

marriednotdead · 05/01/2025 21:48

I hate seeing them dumped too. I’ve got an old Woolworths tree that’s still looking good, as they closed in 2009 it must be around 20 years old!

DP rescued a potted tree that had been dumped in the street last Christmas. Despite my misgivings, it has thrived on the back patio with minimal attention and he strung lights on it this year.

He may pass it on to one of his customers if he doesn’t want to keep it long term.

Original poster

MostHighlyFlavoredGravy · 05/01/2025 21:31

Ifailed · 05/01/2025 20:38

We get ours collected in exchange for a donation to the local hospice. They get shredded and used for mulch or whatever so they are not wasted or ending up in landfill.

How about not buying a tree and handing over the cost to the Hospice?

OP posts:

Ifailed · 05/01/2025 20:38

We get ours collected in exchange for a donation to the local hospice. They get shredded and used for mulch or whatever so they are not wasted or ending up in landfill.

How about not buying a tree and handing over the cost to the Hospice?

Whatdoido11 · 05/01/2025 17:04

I think the same too! It just looks sad, one minute they’re shining brightly with lights and decorations, and then just thrown out like nothing. Lol

5foot5 · 05/01/2025 17:02

Inyourfacebidisg · 05/01/2025 11:21

I find it a big hypocritical waste.
How many tres are killed for a purpose that most of the UK don’t believe in?
Why are we recycling every scrap of paper when we are throwing away giant trees after a few weeks of use?

Most Christmas trees are grown specifically for this purpose. They are a crop like any other.

We get ours collected in exchange for a donation to the local hospice. They get shredded and used for mulch or whatever so they are not wasted or ending up in landfill.

Plus the collection raise thousands of pounds for the hospice.

SauvignonBlanche · 05/01/2025 16:56

MostHighlyFlavoredGravy · 05/01/2025 16:50

As you've booked a collection you are forgiven

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That’s very gracious of you @MostHighlyFlavoredGravy, thank you.

Hufflemuff · 05/01/2025 16:51

We walked past a skip last week and saw an artificial tree in it, fully dressed in tinsel and baubles. We roared with laughter, i just imagined some over zealous Dad loosing the plot and binning it because he got in a fight with some of the ornaments whilst taking them off hahaha.

Original poster

MostHighlyFlavoredGravy · 05/01/2025 16:50

SauvignonBlanche · 05/01/2025 16:41

Sorry OP, we’ve just taken ours down and popped it by the front porch. 🫣

I’ve booked to have it collected and recycled by volunteers in exchange for a donation to the local hospice.

In response to @YouveGotAFastCar’s query:

I do wonder why people with back gardens don’t put them out there until collection date; we always have

The hospice volunteers don’t have a set time to collect and we have a side gate so can’t leave it round the back, plus I only want to leave a trail of needles once! 🎄

As you've booked a collection you are forgiven

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Bideshi · 05/01/2025 16:48

Turophilic · 05/01/2025 11:42

This trees are grown specifically as a crop. You might as well talk about the number of wheat or vegetables killed.

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I came on to say this. I live in a Christmas tree area and they are exactly that: a crop grown for a specific purpose. Nothing to get sentimental about.

SauvignonBlanche · 05/01/2025 16:41

Sorry OP, we’ve just taken ours down and popped it by the front porch. 🫣

I’ve booked to have it collected and recycled by volunteers in exchange for a donation to the local hospice.

In response to @YouveGotAFastCar’s query:

I do wonder why people with back gardens don’t put them out there until collection date; we always have

The hospice volunteers don’t have a set time to collect and we have a side gate so can’t leave it round the back, plus I only want to leave a trail of needles once! 🎄

EveryOtherNameTaken · 05/01/2025 16:35

GoldenPineapple15 · 05/01/2025 11:09

I saw some Christmas trees in the garden centre a few days ago. I told my husband that I felt sorry for them because they had missed their opportunity to be decorated. They made me feel sad for them because.

Same happened to me yesterday 😔

Original poster

MostHighlyFlavoredGravy · 05/01/2025 16:23

HauntedBungalow · 05/01/2025 16:15

It's the circle of life op. When the trees are recycled they get chipped and become mulch or soil and new things grow from them. Those trees you see outside now are just waiting to catch a ride to the next stage of their existence. Nothing vanishes, all remains.

I know, but that wasn't the point of my post - not about real trees v artificial. We have an artificial tree now but when we lived in a flat we always got a small real one because there was no space to store a fake one the rest of the year.

But I still think it's a bit depressing to walk down the street and see a half dead tree dumped outside every other front door some of which will still be there in February.

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HauntedBungalow · 05/01/2025 16:15

It's the circle of life op. When the trees are recycled they get chipped and become mulch or soil and new things grow from them. Those trees you see outside now are just waiting to catch a ride to the next stage of their existence. Nothing vanishes, all remains.

ChiliFiend · 05/01/2025 16:13

SnoopysHoose · 05/01/2025 11:14

Real trees aren't being environmentally friendly as every year a tree is grown just to be discarded with weeks if not days, we have a good artificial tree that's been going strong for a decade, realistic looking and full, no need to keep buying.

I used to think this, but it's not correct - real trees can apparently be more environmentally friendly than artificial trees if they are disposed of correctly (i.e., turned to mulch to grow more trees) - and when they're growing thousands of them this is good for the planet, obviously. Having said that, this benefit can be offset by transporting them in a way that is not environmentally friendly. (I Googled...).