The most wonderful time of the year has just passed us and you’re now left with bags and bags of trash that are ready to go to the dump. More importantly, that real Christmas tree has been shedding pine needles since the day you brought it in and you’re ready to see it out the door.

It would be helpful to know when to throw out what and how you can help the Oxford Environmental Services and Lafayette County Solid Waste & Recycling Department by knowing your pickup schedule.

In Oxford, Thursday and Friday’s garbage and recycling will be picked up on its normal collection schedule.

For the county, Friday’s collection route will run on Wednesday, Dec. 29 instead. There will be no large item pick-ups on Friday, December 31st. All other routes will remain the same. Only household garbage will be accepted on a weekly pickup.

All garbage must be bagged, tied, and placed within five feet of the roadway. The bag(s) must be placed in a Lafayette County roll-out trash can. These cans are property of Lafayette County and remain with the address.

If you have a live Christmas tree, the OES advises that you put it out for the city’s rubbish collection which is usually collected on Thursdays and Fridays. However, due to the New Year, Thursday’s rubbish collection route will be collected Wednesday, Dec. 29, and Friday’s collection route will be collected Thursday, Dec. 30.

The city considers rubbish to include appliances, bricks and small sections of concrete, furniture, grass clippings, lumber, mattresses, metal items, rugs and small carpet sections, and tree branches.

The live Christmas trees will be picked up by Enid Lake officials during the second week of January and dumped into the lake, according to Michelle Robinson, Oxford Recycling Coordinator.

Robinson said the fake Christmas trees can go out with your typical garbage, but to make sure the tree, real or fake, is bare.

“I would just make sure all the ornaments are off and all the lights are off,” she said. “Even if your lights quit working on your tree, go ahead and remove them. Take off the tree stand and set [the tree] on the curb on collection day.”

County residents will have to call in to the county at 662-236-2535 or contact snorwood@lafayettecoms.com for removal of furniture, appliances, limbs, leaves or other yard waste.

Within Oxford’s city limits, all items need to be on the curb by 6 AM on collection day. For the county, residents must have their garbage on the curb by 7 AM on your regular scheduled collection day.

For more information on the city of Oxford’s Environmental Services, visit www.oxfordms.net/departments/environmental-services. For more information on Lafayette County’s Solid Waste & Recycling Department, visit www.lafayettems.com/solid-waste-recycling/.