Most of us end up with a bit more rubbish and recycling over the festive period and sometimes we’re not quite sure what to do with it, so Cornwall Council has issued a a handy rubbish and recycling guide for families across the county to ensure nothing goes to waste.

From trees to tinsel, baubles to batteries - here’s your Christmas rubbish and recycling guide:

Stay away from shiny paper

Try to resist that glittery roll of wrapping paper. Be creative and use old fabric or a scarf, decorate some brown paper, or try newspaper, paper bags, old calendars and maps instead. That personal touch can make a gift extra special.

You can check if your wrapping is recyclable by scrunching it in your hand. If it stays scrunched it can be recycled, if it unfolds it can’t.

Wrapping paper that is not coated with foil or plastic should be put out for kerbside collection in your orange cardboard recycling bag. Please remove any sticky tape, string or ribbons first.

Trees and decorations

Real Christmas trees (under 6ft) will be collected for composting on the weeks beginning January 11 and January 18. The teams will collect trees on the alternate week to your recycling collection. Put your tree out for collection beside your rubbish.

When it comes to decorations, try to buy those made from natural materials. They are much more environmentally friendly – and they look great!

Unfortunately, you can’t recycle tinsel so hang on to it and use it next year, or if you change your colour scheme you could always swap with a friend.

The same goes for glass and plastic baubles. If you don’t need them anymore donate them to a charity shop or pass them on to friends or family.

To check what items can and can’t be recycled use our online A-Z of recycling.

The usual suspects

All those extra cardboard boxes should go in your orange recycling bag, or next to it if they’re too big. Make sure you flatten them first.

And please make sure you recycle old batteries at your local Household Waste and Recycling Centres (HWRCs) or by taking them to your local supermarket.

Any old electrical equipment, including broken lights, can also be recycled at your local HWRC.

Ditch the plastic

From the latest tech gadgets, glossy gift wrap and sticky tape to the tinsel on the tree - plastic is everywhere at Christmas.

But we can all make better choices to help reduce our carbon footprint and be kinder to the planet.

Do you really need to buy that plastic novelty gift that will go in the bin come January 1? Choose the wooden toy over the plastic one and buy from a bricks-and-mortar store rather than online so you can refuse the plastic wrapping at the till.

If we all make small changes, together we make a big difference.

Order recycling bags and boxes for free on the Cornwall Council website.

You can check your Christmas rubbish and recycling collection dates and HWRC opening times here.