Sure, the holidays are all fun and games — but if you celebrate Christmas, you know that sooner or later you have to deal with that "Night of the Living Dead" tree in the corner. That doesn’t mean it has to be dumpster-bound. Instead, we have some tips on how to put an old tree to good use.

Curbside pickup

The City of Asheville will recycle your tree for you: all you have to do is bring it out to the curb for your neighborhood’s usual pick-up day. To make sure it gets properly recycled, you’ll need to remove the tinsel, garland, tree stand + ornaments before bringing it out.

Drop-off recycling

Maybe you just can’t wait for curbside pickup. You can drop off your tree to be recycled at the Buncombe County landfill at 85 Panther Branch Rd. Be sure to properly secure the tree to your car if you opt for this route. Bonus: Your leftover holiday boxes, tissue paper + non-foil-lined gift wrap can be dropped off at this same recycling center.

Make your own mulch

When you take a tree to a recycling center, they turn it into mulch anyway. So why not use it for your own yard + spring garden? Ideally, you could shred the tree (for example, Home Depot has mulchers for rent), but usually by the time the holidays are over, the needles will already be falling off. You can spread them in garden beds or over the lawn.

Pro tip: If you have an artificial tree you want to get rid of, consider donating it to a local thrift store. And if your string lights have lost their sparkle, you can take them to Biltmore Iron & Metal Co. to be recycled.