SHERMAN TX--Christmas is just three days away, and after all the presents are opened, it will be time to pick up all of that holiday trash.
But don't reach for the garbage can; many of your holiday decorations can be recycled.

"Typically the after Christmas the volume of trash does increase, with all of the gift wrapping and what not, there is a big increase," said Jeffrey Miller, Director of Public Works for the city of Sherman.

While the season of giving begins on Black Friday, it ends in a trash bin on the curb;
And the more you give the more trash landfills, get.

"In General what we see across the state is a 255 increase in trash," said Brian Christian with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.

The accepted rule for reducing trash is recycling; however, many of the items associated with the Holidays cannot be recycled.

"Things like gift wrapping paper, which you would think was just paper, contains a lot of dyes and products, and they are not recyclable" said Miller.

Bows, ribbons, bubble wrap and packing peanuts are also non-recyclable.
Experts say the best way to make sure the remnants of this year's Christmas don't end up in a landfill, is to reduce those one time use items, like wrapping paper.

"For example, use gift bags instead of paper, you can reuse them for many years," said Christian.

The City of Sherman is also helping to reuse reduce and recycle, this year they will even haul away your old Christmas tree.

"On your brush pickup day, simple put your tree out, if it is a real tree, make sure all of the decorations are taken off, and you can set it out with your brush," said Miller.