Unwanted trees will normally be chipped and shredded by the local authority and used for compost. However, there are ‘living tree’ schemes, which allow you to bring a real, potted tree into the house and then to plant it back out in the garden when the festivities are over.

Another option is to buy an artificial tree, which can be re-used every year. Unlike a real tree, it won’t help to offset global warming by absorbing carbon dioxide, but in comparison to a Christmas tree that is discarded after just a few weeks, it will consume fewer resources in terms of transportation, felling and waste disposal.