Now that Christmas is over, families are packing up the ornaments and tossing out the wrapping paper scraps — but, what about the Christmas tree? Depending on where you live in the Tampa Bay region, there are different pickup dates and rules for getting rid of your tree. Whether you have a natural spruce, pine or fir, or it's just time to toss out that old artificial tree, here's what you need to know. Anyone with a natural Christmas tree is encouraged to explore recycling options before throwing their tree away. This can mean bringing your tree out to your backyard to create a new habitat for birds and wildlife, or bringing it to a facility to be turned into mulch. MORE: https://www.wtsp.com/article/life/holidays/christmas-tree-pickup-tampa-st-pete/67-33e9404b-aca8-4fc1-8f7e-608d3014bb2e