If you have old Christmas ornaments that are broken, damaged or just don’t look as good as they used to, it’s time to recycle them. Recycling old ornaments is a great way to reuse something that would otherwise end up in the trash and create more waste. In addition to recycling old ornaments, you can also make new ones yourself by using recycled materials such as ribbon, buttons and other craft supplies.

There are several ways to recycle old ornaments. You can throw them away or donate them to charity groups like Goodwill. But if you’re looking for an alternative way of getting rid of your old Christmas ornaments, here are some ideas:

Make an ornament wreath

This is a great way to use up old ornaments that have lost their shine. You can also use new ones as long as they are made from environmentally friendly materials such as glass and plastic. Just hang them on wood dowels and then attach them with wire so that they form a circle.

Turn them into magnets

 Most Christmas ornaments have holes in the top for hanging on branches or walls. Use these holes to turn your old ornaments into magnets for your refrigerator door, desk at work, filing cabinet drawer — anywhere you want to display your favorite memories of Christmas past.

Make a collage

 If you don’t mind spending some money on supplies (and maybe even buying new ones), you could make a collage out of small pieces of glass and glue them behind a picture frame.

Thread your old Christmas ornaments onto a chain

Just thread your old Christmas ornaments onto a chain in any order you like and add new charms for extra flair. This project is perfect for those who are just starting out with jewelry making because it doesn’t require any special tools (except maybe pliers if you’re using large beads). Just thread each bead onto the bracelet until it reaches the desired length. Then tie off the end with some strong thread (or even dental floss) and glue the ends together so that they won’t come undone.

Use as vases

The glass balls make great vases for flowers and plants. The larger ones are also perfect for storing small items in your home office or craft room, such as buttons, beads, sequins and other crafting supplies that don’t have much room on their own but would look great displayed together in an ornament ball.

Use them as hanging earrings

String them on a length of twine and hang them on a tree branch, along with other recycled ornaments. Or string them onto lengths of ribbon, then tie bows around the necks of bottles or jars filled with flowers, herbs and other decorative elements.

Make a bird feeder out of an old ornament

With a little bit of creativity, you can turn an old ceramic figurine into a bird feeder that will not only provide food for birds but also add some color to your yard or garden. If you go this route, make sure you choose an ornament without holes so that birds won’t find their way inside it and become trapped by the glue holding it together.