WELLINGTON COUNTY – Memories are made as families gather around the twinkling lights, sparking ornaments and sentimental treasures hung on branches of evergreen trees brought inside to bring Yuletide joy.
But once the holidays come to a close, many are left wondering what to do with their well-loved Christmas trees.
Trees for Tots
For people in Puslinch, Rockwood and Guelph, trees can be given a second life while also raising funds for the Children’s Foundation of Guelph and Wellington (CFGW).
For a donation to the foundation (suggested minimum is $15), volunteers will collect the trees from curb sides.
The trees will then be chipped and returned to nature – spread along walking trails and used for other community projects.
People who register and make a donation by Jan. 6 can have their trees collected from outside their homes on Jan. 10.
To register a tree visit donate.childrensfoundation.org/TreesforTots2026 and have your tree out by the curb by 7am on pick-up day (remove all decorations and do not put in a plastic bag).
The funds will support various CFGW programs including:
- Keep Kids Fed at Home, which provides weekend snack packs for children;
- Keep Kids Fed at School, which provides meals to children and youth;
- Free to Grow, which funds recreational and life-skill opportunities including sports, arts, camps, driver’s education and leadership development; and
- Adopt-A-Family, which provides families with gifts and groceries over the winter holiday season.
Trees for Tots is now in its 14th year and last year the initiative raised $85,000 with more than 275 volunteers collecting over 3,600 trees.
This year the presenting sponsor for Trees for Tots is Elevate Law Group.
Others interested in sponsoring the program can explore various opportunities to do so at tinyurl.com/3uzs6t6u.
People outside of Puslinch, Rockwood and Guelph, or who don’t have a tree to get rid of, can support by purchasing a Trees for Tots candle for $16 ($5 per candle is donated to the CFGW).
The candles are made in reusable jars with plant-based, eco-friendly soy wax and come in Evergreen Orchard, Oh Christmas Tree and White Christmas scents.
To purchase a candle visit Strawberry Sunshine at 3-15 Surrey St. W., Guelph or strawberrysunshine.ca/products/trees-for-tots.
For more information about Trees for Tots contact treesfortots@childrensfoundation.org.
Shelter for wildlife
Another option to extend the life of a Christmas tree is simple – drag it outside and leave it alone.
It takes minimal effort but can make a considerable impact, as the tree will offer shelter for pollinators, birds and small animals.
According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, chickadees and finches will utilize old Christmas trees during the winter months, especially during storms and cold nights.
“Prop it up near a bird feeder, another tree, or against a fence. Or just lay it in your garden for animals of all sorts to enjoy,” the Almanac advises.
The tree can also provide protection for plants such as the roots of perennials and shrubs, and help keep more moisture in the earth.
And before long, the tree will decompose, adding nutrients to the soil.
Repurpose at home
If there’s not enough space outside to leave it for the birds, the Almanac offers a range of other ways to repurpose a tree at home.
Branches and logs can be cut into pieces, tied together, and stored in the cellar until next year, when they can be burned in the fireplace for a traditional Yule log.
Out in the garden, cut Christmas tree branches can be used as mulch, offering similar benefits to leaving the whole tree in the garden – protection for roots, shelter for pollinators and wildlife, moisture retention and added nutrients for the soil
With a wood chipper, the tree can also be turned into wood chips and used as mulch.
Trees can be redecorated outside as bird feeders, with tasty treats such as strings of popcorn, cranberry garlands or pinecones filled with peanut butter.
With a needle, thread and a few scraps of fabric, scented sachets can be created with fragrant Christmas tree needles and used to keep closets and drawers smelling fresh.
Dried out sprigs from Christmas trees can be used to ignite kindling in wood stoves or fireplaces.
What not to do
The Almanac also cautions against a few post-Christmas tree practices:
- don’t burn the whole tree indoors as the needles and resin burn extremely hot and fast, creating serious fire hazards;
- don’t discard of the tree in a plastic bag, as this prevents it from decomposing;
- don’t throw them in waterways as they can alter water chemistry or become hazards;
- don’t leave any decorations (even tiny tinsel strands) as decorations can contaminate mulch, damage chippers or injure wildlife; and
- don’t keep it indoors too long, as dry trees are serious fire hazards (and cut trees will dry out even with regular watering).
County collection
Christmas trees are also collected by Wellington County in urban areas of the county after Jan. 5. (Put trees out by 7am).
All decorations must be removed and trees taller than 2.5m (eight feet) must be cut into shorter lengths.
Christmas trees can be dropped off at county waste facilities, free of charge, until Jan. 31.
Guelph residents can drop off at the Guelph dump where fees do apply.
