Now Christmas is over, many of us are tackling the far less festive task of taking down the decorations, dismantling the Christmas tree and trying to get through all the leftover ham.
But if you have a real tree and you live in an urban area, it can be tough to know what to do with it.
Broadcaster and gardening expert Tony Murrell says normal disposal methods aren't good enough, and many Kiwis cut corners when it comes to disposing of their trees.
"The most common way to dispose of a Christmas tree is to leave it on your verge or out the front of your house. And sadly a lot of people do this, or throw them down the bank," he told Magic Talk on Friday.
"They've spent a lot of time and money sourcing the perfect tree only to discard without a lot of care and thought for the environment."
Instead Murrell recommends taking the time to mulch your trees, and use them on the garden.
"The needles, in particular, make a fantastic mulch in your vegetable garden for suppressing weeds and keeping moisture in the ground over the hot summer months," he says.
Mulch your tree by pulling or cutting off all the smaller branches and adding them to compost, or scatter over your garden.
According to the Auckland Council website, Christmas tree farms and suppliers often take your tree to be mulched or else you can take it to a local transfer station.
And if you really can't be bothered, and you have a private garden bag or bin collection, check if they accept Christmas trees. They'll do the hard yards for you, leaving you to vacuum the needles off your floor.
