The holiday season often brings extra waste - from gift wrap and packaging to decorations and trees. But with a few thoughtful choices, you can reduce what ends up in the bin and make the season a little cleaner and greener. Here’s a simple guide with helpful tips and tricks to make your holiday wrapping and decorating more eco-friendly, without losing any of the fun.
Many traditional wrapping papers contain foil, glitter, or coatings that can’t be recycled through residential recycling services. Instead, opt for natural materials that keep things clean and simple:
Brown kraft paper or paper grocery bags
Newspaper, old maps, or sheet music
Fabric scraps, bandanas, or tea towels (great for reusable wrapping)
These choices reduce what ends up in your curbside garbage collection and give gifts a thoughtful, handcrafted feel.
Twine instead of plastic ribbon
Pine cones, fir sprigs, or rosemary
Hand-stamped designs using recycled cardboard
All are compostable or eligible for yard debris disposal when the season wraps up.
Many households have extra gift bags tucked away. Reusing them keeps them out of the trash and cuts down on holiday clutter. If you haven’t saved bags in the past, it’s not too late to start!
Plastic bows and glittery decorations often can’t be recycled. You can avoid that and still make your gifts look great with:
Dried citrus slices
Scrap-fabric ribbons
Cinnamon sticks
Small reusable ornaments or charms
These options keep things festive without adding unnecessary waste.
Holiday décor doesn’t have to create a post-holiday mess. Choose items that can be reused year after year or easily recycled..
LED strands last longer and use less energy. When they finally burn out, recycle them through electronics recycling drop-offs — not your regular trash.
DIY options like dried oranges, popcorn garlands, or greenery from your yard look beautiful and can be composted or set out with yard debris pickup afterward.
Glass jars, candle vessels, and tins can be turned into:
Centerpieces
Treat containers
Holiday candle holders
A few items always end up in the garbage bin. Avoiding them helps keep your space cleaner and reduces what goes to the landfill:
Foil, glossy, and metallic wrapping paper
Glitter decorations
Disposable plastic tableware
Styrofoam packaging
If you do end up with large boxes or extra packing materials, consider reusing, repurposing, or recycling before sending anything to the trash.
The holidays leave behind plenty of reusable material. Before something goes in the garbage collection cart, try:
Using large cardboard boxes for kids’ projects (then recycle them)
Cutting used wrapping paper into next year’s gift tags
Repurposing metal décor — or dropping it off at scrap metal recycling locations
Taking old electronics to computer recycling instead of tossing them
A little sorting goes a long way. Keep cleanup simple by following a few guidelines:
Cardboard → flatten and recycle
Natural wreaths and trees → yard debris pickup (learn about Apex’s 2026 Christmas tree pickup schedule here)
Broken decorations → need details on how to properly dispose of broken decorations (such as bag broken glass, etc.)
Large items → arrange for appropriate pickup or drop-off (schedule a pickup)
Eco-friendly wrapping and decorating doesn’t need to be complicated. Every small step helps reduce waste and keep our community clean and green. And when the season ends - and the recycling, yard debris, and “what goes where?” questions pop up - Apex is here as a local partner who cares about keeping our neighborhoods tidy and thriving.
Nothing makes us happier than hearing stories about how our neighbors are thriving. Drop us a line to share your Apex story!
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Curbside Residential Food Waste Pickup
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Helpful tips to avoid yard debris contamination.
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When that nip in the air tells you that jacket weather has arrived, remember that not everyone in our community can bundle up for the season
