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If the Christmas tree has turned as dry as Aunt Jolene’s Christmas fruitcake, it may be time to kick it to the curb. There are a few ways to make that happen in the area.

Each year, Americans purchase more than 25 million live Christmas trees, leaving all of those tree owners with the question of how to dispose of the tree after the big day.

In Farmville, Tracey Hammonds, administrative assistant of the Public Works Department, said residents may place used trees by the curb anytime this week. Town crews will be riding around looking for them.

Prince Edward County residents can take the trees to the recycling sites and put them in the brush bin or to the landfill and place them in the brush pile. Prince Edward County Director of Public Works Ron Van Eps said he was not aware of a recycling program in the county for Christmas trees.

There are a few environmentally friendly ways to reuse the tree around the house or in the garden.

The most natural may be firewood. For those with a wood heating source, chopping up the tree and adding it to the firewood pile is a natural reuse.

The trees may be chipped up for garden mulch, composted or the branches may be placed over the garden areas to help insulate the ground through the winter.