To hate seeing half-dead Christmas trees dumped outside

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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?

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 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.

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.

Me too.

It's so sad

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.

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.

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.

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!

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

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

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! 🤣)

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