Recycling Christmas Lights

If your household is like ours, you have a ton of holiday lights boxed somewhere. Most of them still twinkle, of course, but some have faded or are completely broken. So, what do you do with broken holiday lights? In the past, I've been guilty of just throwing them in the trash. Well, I will no longer be doing that. Recycling used or broken lights has gotten easier. Many companies offer holiday recycling programs in exchange for discounts to buy new ones. Below is a list of programs, both local and nationwide drop off location. If you can't find one near you, you can mail them in too.

Drop off programs

St. Louis Green 

-November 17 to January 13, 2013
-Drop off locations in Missouri, Kansas, and Illinois

Recycle Your Holidays™
-November 15 to the end of January 2013
-450+ drop off locations throughout the state

Home Depot® 
-November 1 - 14, 2012
-Discount coupon given for up to 5 boxes, from $3-$5 depending on the size of the box to be purchased

Lowe's® 
-Accepting lights until the end of January 2013

Crown Ace Hardware
-Currently accepting lights
-17 locations in Southern California
-$5.00 immediate credit towards new Christmas light purchase

Mail in programs

HolidayLEDs.com 
- November 23, 2012 to January 31, 2013, bring your lights to any of the following participating MOM's Organic Markets throughout Maryland and Virginia
- 25% off HolidayLEDs.com LED Christmas lights
- Attn: Recycling Program 
  1737 Spring Arbor Rd.
  PMB 206 Jackson
  MI 49203

Christmas Light Source 
-10% discount on regularly priced items on one order
-Recycling Program
 4313 Elmwood Drive
 Benbrook, TX 76116

The LED Warehouse
-Coupon for 10% off purchase
-Attn: Christmas Light Recycling
 109 E. Prairie St.
 Vicksburg, MI 49097

Five Star Holiday Decor
-10% off any Five Star services and donate a portion of any proceeds to Toys for Tots
-Five Star
 28 Village Pointe Dr
 Powell, Ohio 43065

Other things to do with holiday lights

• Use in craft projects like holiday cards
• Donate to charitable organizations
• Use them during non-holiday events like a summer backyard party
• Teach a lesson on conductivity

What do you do with your old (broken) holiday lights? I'd love to read your suggestions. Please comment below.

Disclosure: I was not compensated for this post. All opinions expressed are my own.