What to do with holiday decoration and gift wrapping after holidays are over

What do you do with all that holiday decoration and gift wrapping? Is wrapping paper recyclable? What about Christmas trees?

Republic Services, a company that provides recycling and solid waste collection, has its own "naughty and nice" list of recyclable holiday materials:

-- NICE (recyclable) or NAUGHTY (not recyclable)

-- Gift boxes Bubble wrap (consider reusing)

-- Tissue paper Foam peanuts

-- Shoe boxes Ribbon and bows (consider reusing)

-- Christmas tree Anything on the tree

-- Holiday cards/envelopes Sticky gift labels

-- Gift bags (if paper) Gift bags if coated, laminated, dyed

-- Wrapping paper (consider reusing)

"Wrapping paper was on the Naughty list last year," said Kurt Blascoe, director of materials marketing and recycling for Republic. "While it contains paper, is difficult to recycle because it is often dyed and laminated and may contain non-paper additives, such as gold and silver coloring, glitter and plastics."

However, Blascoe said they are moving it to their "Nice" list this year as they have other customers who can take that product and make new paper products from it.

Blascoe added that ribbons and bows cannot be recycled because they aren't paper products, while Christmas trees must be stripped of all decorations (tinsel, lights, bells, ornaments, etc.) before the tree can be mulched or composted.

Ideas for recycling and reusing holiday materials can be found at these websites:

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2454324/how_to_save_store_and_recycle_christmas.html?cat=57

http://socyberty.com/holidays/10-ways-to-recycle-christmas-wrapping-paper/

http://www.recyclebank.com/live-green/lifestyle-cat/431