To hate seeing half-dead Christmas trees dumped outside

[MostHighlyFlavoredGravy]

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?

I think it’s sad too, the contrast of the hopeful brightly lit Christmas trees with the dead decay of one thrown out ( I am sadly adding to this misery) I try to imagine it is a spring clean of the lands ready for a new spring. A necessary cycle but I agree I miss the gaiety and beauty of the decorations everywhere, and I will take more time to pause and enjoy them next Christmas.

I agree, it’s a bit of a sharp reminder that the festive period is over! And I say this as someone with three dead trees in my front garden as we speak…

As i said on another thread there were 2 or 3 trees at the council re-cycling on Christmas Day evening - seemed a little over-enthusiastic unless they were going away on Boxing Day!

Leaving aside the real vs artificial debate, I agree the ex-Christmas trees look sad. I can't stand looking at ours all bare outside, so I cut it up as soon as it's down - the branches are either used around the garden or else go into the garden waste bin for eventual collection by the council, and the trunk is sawn up for use as firewood (in a year or two, once seasoned).

OP do you also feel sad for all the trees whose life has been reduced to being wrapping paper and cardboard boxes? Or the ones who get burned in wood burners? Not all trees are lucky enough to end up as IKEA Billy bookcases , so maybe we should all take a moment and say thank you to trees.

https://www.soilassociation.org/take-action/organic-living/christmas/eco-friendly-christmas-trees-real-vs-fake/

We have a fake tree, but it's been going for 14 years and is still in good nick, so I'm going to stick with it until it's paid its debt to society. 🌲

My parents' one has a broken branch from when my DB accidentally knocked the tree over age 18. He's 44 now!

Not sure if you are trying to suggest I'm somehow being a hypocrite, but yes, I dislike wasting wood/paper generally. I always wrap my xmas presents in recycled brown paper (tied with a pretty ribbon - I have a box of them and they get reused!). I don't have ikea Billy bookcases either - they're awful quality and don't last. But that wasn't the point of my OP, that would be far too deep for a Sunday morning!

Sad to see it on Boxing Day but after that doesn't bother me. Council will start collecting on the 6th but I'm trying to get mine out today.

I mean this nicely but I am not going to live with a dead fir tree in my house year round because I can’t face throwing it away once Christmas is over.

Where I live the council used to pick up garden waste but now won’t unless you pay a regular fee. However over half the households don’t have a car so they just get left on the pavement regardless.

What I do think looks sad is when a brown tree appears on the pavement in July. I know that not everyone sorts this out on 6 January but I can’t imagine living with the tree until July.

Ours is in our front garden, our council collects them. I heard on the radio that Whipsnade zoo collects some for elephants to play with, apparently they love trampling on them, they eat them as well!

There are a few donkey sanctuaries who ask for them too.

@devilspawn
I don't think an artificial tree bought and used for many many years is particularly bad.
Do you have nothing made of plastic? completely natural living? I doubt it.

As I remember, the magic numbers are 7 and 10. Depending on manufacturing etc, an artificial tree is almost neutral when used for more that 7 years and definitely more emotionally efficient than a real true from 10 years onwards.

I don’t care; I’m having a real tree because the smell is the best part.

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...).

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.

Same happened to me yesterday 😔

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! 🎄

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.

As you've booked a collection you are forgiven

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.

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

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.

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