How to Recycle, Repurpose or Discard Broken Christmas Lights
It’s almost inevitable that when you take out your holiday decorations for the season, at least one light bulb or string of lights will break, burn out, or malfunction. Sometimes fixing seemingly broken Christmas lights is as simple as replacing a blown bulb or two (and the strings usually come with a few extras) or replacing a blown fuse . But if your lights are beyond repair or simply no longer needed, you shouldn’t throw them in the trash.
How to Repurpose Christmas Lights
Depending on the condition of your blonde strands, there are several ways to reuse them for holiday decor. If a few bulbs have broken or failed (too many to replace, but not enough to throw away the filament entirely), place them in a glass jar or vase to create a holiday light or night light for your child’s room. This is also a great way to use up extra full-featured garland that would otherwise sit in a box, which you can also add to a wreath or garland or even hang all year round.
If the strand is completely broken, use it to tie gifts. If you have a strand of large vintage bulbs, paint or spray paint the individual bulbs and gather ribbon, twine and glitter to create embellishments , napkin rings, wreath mounts or a freestanding garland.
How to give Christmas lights
If you have no intention of using gently used blonde strands that still work, try finding them a new home. You can post them for free on Freecycle, Facebook Marketplace or Nextdoor. You can also give them to crafty friends, relatives or DIY neighbors, or look for a community organization, such as an after-school program, church, shelter or senior center, that might accept donations of holiday decorations.
How to Recycle Christmas Lights
If your lanterns can’t be repurposed or donated, there are a few ways to get rid of them other than throwing them in the trash.
Drop it off at your local hardware store.
Retailers like The Home Depot, Lowe’s, Ace Hardware and TruValue take old Christmas strings and recycle them for you (and sometimes offer discounts on new strings with trade-in options). Please note that this service may not be available in all locations or outside of the holiday season, so please call in advance.
If you live in the mid-Atlantic area near MOM’s Organic Market, you can recycle your lanterns (in any condition) during the winter holidays .
If all else fails, local metal recycling companies offering metal recycling will be able to pick up your old holiday lights. Check out the council’s website, as well as specialist recyclers (just don’t throw your lanterns in the kerbside bin).
Check with your local consignment store.
The Goodwill and Salvation Army typically accepts workers’ garlands for recycling, as does the Habitat for Humanity ReStore. As with hardware stores, call ahead or check online donation policies before throwing away boxes of old lanterns.
Use a mail recycling service.
If there is no local option, several companies offer mail-order holiday light recycling year-round. Holiday LEDs accepts lights via USPS, UPS or FedEx, or you can drop them off if you live in or near Sussex, WI. Green Citizen offers personal recycling for Bay Area residents, but you can also mail your lanterns for $1 per pound. Christmas Light Source discontinued its recycling program in November 2023.