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Hamburg ready for Christmas tree collection: Everything you need to know!
The Christmas tree collection in Altona-Altstadt starts on January 8, 2026. Trees must be ready by 6 a.m., fully decorated and up to 2.5 meters long. Find out more about pickup dates and rules.
Hamburg ready for Christmas tree collection: Everything you need to know!
The festive splendor of the Christmas season is over and in many Hamburg households the question is what to do with the Christmas tree. The Hamburg city cleaning service is once again offering a free Christmas tree collection this yearMonday, January 5, 2026, will begin. As a first approximation of the collection dates, all districts have two fixed collection days on which the trees are collected. If you are unsure whether your tree meets the requirements, you can find out more on the Hamburg City Cleaning website.
However, in order to ensure that Christmas trees are disposed of responsibly, there are a few conditions that must be observed. This is how all trees have to becompletely decoratedand the base or other wooden scraps are not permitted. Trees taller than2.5 metersmust be sawn through before collection. Care should also be taken to ensure that there are no treesDanger or obstruction to trafficrepresent. On collection day, the trees should be collected no later than6 a.mbe placed in front of the door.
Collection dates for Hamburg districts
For better planning, here is an overview of the collection dates in different parts of the city:
| district | Collection days |
|---|---|
| Old town | January 5th and 12th |
| Altona old town | January 8th and 15th |
| Bahrenfeld | January 9th and 16th |
| Wandsbek | January 5th and 12th |
| Winterhude | January 8th and 15th |
| Niendorf | January 10th and 17th |
| Uhlenhorst | January 8th and 15th |
| Neugraben-Fischbek | January 5th and 12th |
But it's not just the Christmas trees that are the focus, correct waste disposal during the cold season also requires our attention. The Hamburg city cleaning service points out that in frosty temperatures, the contents of the garbage cans can freeze to the walls. When this happens, the wet waste cannot be emptied into the garbage trucks simply by shaking it. To avoid unpleasant surprises, the city cleaning department recommends putting the garbage in the trash until the next collection dateWhite bagwhich is available for 3 euros in Budnikowsky branches and at recycling centers. This means that the garbage remains easy to remove and there are no problems with frozen waste, which can ultimately lead to an unexpected accumulation of unemptied garbage containers (stadtreinigung.hamburg).
Finally, it should be mentioned: The collected Christmas trees are not simply disposed of, but rather go to the biomass plants and are used there as combustion material. This recycling not only contributes to better waste management, but is also a small contribution to environmental protection. Ultimately, Hamburg residents can actively participate in ensuring that their Christmas trees provide a valuable service not only in their hearts, but also after the festive season (t-online.de).