Calgarians got to enjoy a beautiful white Christmas, but it’s now time to focus on making the New Year a bit greener as crews at the many recycling drop-off sites are getting ready for their busiest time of the year.

Christmas trees will be taken during regular curbside pick-up next week. Officials say residents need to have their trees near the cart, with all decorations removed.

They’ll be picked starting January 8 until the end of the month.

As for packaging from the many gifts you may have received over the holidays, there are a number of things that can’t be recycled:

  • Artificial trees
  • Styrofoam
  • Ribbons
  • Metallic wrapping paper

All of these items need to go into the garbage, the city says.

All other boxes and wrapping paper can be left loose in your blue bin, not bagged like many people do.

“People naturally bag up all their wrapping paper,” says Philippa Wagner with the city. “Some then put it bagged into their blue cart. However, if they do do that, it’s taken off the line at the sorting plant and none of the material is recycled at all during the sorting process.”

However, there are a few things that do in fact need to be bagged for pick-up – other plastic bag and wrap and shredded paper.

The city says that clear bags are best for these materials, but even thin grocery bags can work.

There are also eight drop off locations available for residents to deposit trees if you miss the curbside pick-up date:

  • Bowness Fire Station #15 – 6328 35 Avenue N.W.
  • Prairie Winds Park – South Parking Lot, 54th Ave. & Castleridge Blvd. N.E
  • Bottomlands Park – St. George's Drive and 7 Avenue N.E.
  • Marda Loop Communities Association – 3130 16 Street S.W.
  • Parks Compound – 10312 Sacramento Drive S.W.
  • Spyhill Landfill – 69 Street and 112 Avenue N.W.
  • East Calgary Landfill – 17 Avenue and 68 Street S.E.
  • Shepard Landfill – 114 Avenue and 68 Street S.E.

The drop-off locations will be open between December 26 and January 31, 2016.