The holidays leave behind a mountain of paper, greenery and food scraps. Plenty of it can go in your compost, but glitter, foil and plastic sneak into a lot of it. Here is the quick list, with a link to the full answer for each one.
Easy yes
| Item | Compost it? | The catch |
|---|---|---|
| Cardboard gift boxes | Yes | Strip tape and labels |
| Paper gift bags | Yes | Remove ribbon handles |
| Paper napkins | Yes | Not ones used with cleaners |
| Fallen leaves | Yes | Shred them to balance holiday food scraps |
Sometimes: check before you toss
| Item | Compost it? | The catch |
|---|---|---|
| Real Christmas trees | Sometimes | Chip it; remove every bit of tinsel |
| Pine needles | Sometimes | Fine in moderation; acidic and slow |
| Pine cones | Sometimes | Crush them or they last years |
| Wrapping paper | Sometimes | Plain paper only, no foil or glitter |
| Poinsettias | Sometimes | Strip foil, glitter and the pot |
| Cookie crumbs and bread | Sometimes | Bury deep so pests don’t find it |
| Citrus peels | Sometimes | A few at a time; not in worm bins |
| Cinnamon sticks | Sometimes | Crush them first |
| Cranberries and sauce | Sometimes | Small amounts only |
| Holiday candy | Sometimes | Candy yes, wrappers no |
| Wine corks | Sometimes | Natural cork only |
No: keep these out
| Item | Compost it? | The catch |
|---|---|---|
| Candle stubs | No | Paraffin never breaks down |
| Chewing gum | No | Synthetic rubber |
| Plastic bottles | No | Recycle instead |
The scrunch test for wrapping paper
Scrunch a piece of wrapping paper in your hand. If it stays balled up, it is likely plain paper and can be shredded into your compost. If it springs back open, it probably has a plastic or foil layer and belongs in the trash. Anything with glitter is out either way.
Tips for the holiday season
- Shred paper and cardboard. It balances the extra food scraps and breaks down in weeks instead of months.
- Check your town for Christmas tree pickup. Many cities chip trees into free mulch in early January.
- Pull tape, ribbon, bows and gift tags before anything goes in the bin.
- Cold pile slowing down? Freeze food scraps and add them in spring, or cover the pile with leaves to keep it warmer.
Not sure about something? Ask us any item or see the printable compost chart. Hosting Thanksgiving too? Here is the Thanksgiving leftovers list.