MIDLAND, Texas (Big 2/ Fox 24) -Keep Midland Beautiful wants to remind Midlanders of the importance of recycling your Christmas tree and gift boxes.

Doreen Womack, executive director of Keep Midland Beautiful, advises you to hang on to wrapping paper and bows from your Christmas presents. However, the boxes from Christmas presents, packaging, and numbers 1 and 2 plastics can be recycled, reduced, or even reused.

“Well, holiday recycling can be different than your everyday recycling,” Womack says.

Keep midland beautiful says every year across the nation recycling and trash increase by 25%between the holidays.

“That’s a lot more than we need to keep out of our landfills and be sure that if it does go to the landfill that it’s the right thing,” Womack says.

Womack says those Christmas boxes, especially your Christmas tree are items that are waiting to be recycled.

“Keep those Christmas trees out of your regular trash and bring them to the Citizens Collection Station or by Hogan Park,” Womack says.

Click the links below to read on more of the recycling tips and hours to drop off your trash:

https://www.keepmidlandbeautiful.org/ http://www.midlandtexas.gov/facilities/facility/details/Citizens-Collection-Station-73