Since Christmas is fast approaching, let me share you these tips on how you can still use your December Christmas trees longer in the coming year. 

The Christmas presents have all been opened and the holiday season has drawn to a close for another year. That means it’s time to take down the tree, right? Not necessarily! There are a few ways to make your tree seasonally appropriate for a little longer!

Real Christmas Trees

If you have a real Christmas tree, you can keep it indoors as long as it continues to retain its needles. If it is shedding needles and needs to be taken outdoors, you can still make use of it. One option is Christmas tree recycling. Many areas offer curbside pickup or have drop-off points for the collection of Christmas trees, which are then recycled into mulch. Contact your local municipality to find out if Christmas tree recycling is offered in your area.

You can also move the tree in its stand to an outdoor area and redecorate it for the birds. Smear pine cones with peanut butter and roll them in bird seed to make ornaments, and use a needle and thread to string popcorn into a garland. Place it on your patio or somewhere that you can see it from inside your home and enjoy watching birds devour the treat.

Redecorating Your Tree for the Coming Months

For those who have artificial trees or whose live trees are still hanging in there, redecorating the tree can keep it seasonally relevant. Here are some decorating ideas for subsequent months:

If you take down your red and green decorations and trade them in for blues and purples instead, you can decorate the tree on a snowflake theme and enjoy it for another month. Look especially for snowflake-themed decorations, which will help emphasize the winter theme.

If your tree is still up in February, decorate it for Valentine’s Day! Cut pink and red hearts out of paper and use yarn or ribbon to hang them from the branches for an instant holiday change makeover. You can also use small Valentine cards (the type kids exchange at school) to make quick and easy ornaments.

By March, it’s almost time for spring! Decorate the tree with silk flowers in bright, cheerful colors to usher in the new season. Springtime is also time for Easter; make the tree into an Easter tree by decorating it with plastic eggs.