5 Ways to Recycle Christmas Ornaments

Wondering what to do with those old Christmas ornaments? Don't throw them away- use these creative ideas to recycle them!

Make a festive centerpiece. Department stores are filled with holiday centerpieces that are nothing more than ornaments in a vase. Instead of paying top dollar for a holiday centerpiece, make your own from what you already have in your house. Use colors that compliment your decor, or use colors that bring a little Christmas cheer into the room. You could even add some twigs or pinecones to your centerpiece, or maybe a little glitter. Don't limit yourself to just vases- bowls, glasses, and trays with assorted Christmas ornaments work just as well for holiday displays.

Make a hanging display or mobile. Christmas ornaments look gorgeous hanging in a window! Tie each ornament to a coordinating ribbon and hang from the window lock for a festive holiday look. Or string a number of ornaments on fishing line and hang them in front of a window in the style of a garland or swag. Another idea is to attach Christmas ornaments to a mobile that you already have or to hang them from the basket of a hanging plant.

Use them to decorate Christmas packages. Previously used Christmas ornaments look great on a Christmas present. Instead of a bow and a gift tag, use glitter glue to write the gift recipient's name on an ornament and attach it to the gift. What a beautiful, personalized presentation that makes! Or imagine a Christmas ornament on a ribbon tied around the neck of a bottle of wine, or hanging from the spout of a lotion bottle. Recycled ornaments also add a lovely touch to a homemade Christmas gift basket.

Host an ornament exchange party. Most people don't get rid of Christmas ornaments because there's something wrong with the ornaments, it's because they just want different ornaments. So why not have a Christmas ornament exchange? Have everyone bring one ornament, or a whole box full, to the party! Exchange the ornaments grab bag style, a la Secret Santa, or by drawing numbers. You can keep the cost of the party down by asking everyone to bring a food or drink treat to share, and have the ornaments be your gifts to each other.

Donate them to a thrift store or community center. Gently used ornaments can be donated to places like Salvation Army, Goodwill, or the Volunteers of America. Many community outreach centers, temporary shelters for the homeless, or after-school programs could also use donations of Christmas ornaments.

Christmas ornaments can be repurposed into beautiful decorations and gifts with these easy and creative ideas.