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Where to Toss Christmas Trees, Holiday Lights in Chicago

Posted on January 4, 2024   |   Updated on September 30, 2025
Sidney Madden

Sidney Madden

A lone Christmas tree in Chicago in 2020

A lone Christmas tree in Chicago in 2020. (Scott Olson / Getty)

Ready to dump your Christmas tree and holiday lights? Here’s what Chicagoans should know about where to discard festive decor.

How to Toss Trees

Make sure your trees aren’t wrapped in plastic or have ornaments and lights.

A house decorated with holiday lights in Chatham Dec. 2

A house decorated with holiday lights in Chatham Dec. 2. (Tribune / Getty)

Where to Throw Away Lights

Don’t want to “leave the Christmas lights up til January?” If they’re broken, consider recycling them!

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