The Giving Tree

Wildlife on Recycled Christmas Tree  Photo: Danielle Brigida flickr

Your spent Christmas tree can still bring joy. Deck it out with strings of cranberries and popcorn. Or smear chunks of stale bread with peanut butter and roll them in birdseed, then nest them in the branches. You’ll be investing in one of nature’s best pest patrols: birds that survive winter in fine fettle will, come spring, be scouring your yard for bugs to feed baby. And on stormy days your tree serves a dual purpose: birds and other wildlife—rabbits and squirrels—will find shelter under and among your tree’s branches.

Just be sure you’ve attached the tree firmly to a support so the wind won’t carry it away. You could rope it to a small tree or shrub, a fence railing, or even a stake.

Birds and bunnies aren’t the only critters your Christmas tree could help. The dictionary definition for “creature” includes plants too. If you haven’t had the chance to protect some of your favorite perennials from winter cold, just lop the branches off that tree and layer them over the bed. It’ll help even out the highs and lows as air temps inevitably dip and soar. Helping your perennials stay healthy has a side benefit—beneficial insects overwintering in the neighborhood survive better when protected by a blanket of boughs.