Nothing looks more sad than a spent Christmas tree, waiting at the curb. If you have a live tree that needs to be recycled, do it right.

Here are the options we discovered for the area.

Milford

1. You can't haul it out to the curb with the trash. The town's Transfer Station will take your Christmas tree (stripped of all ornaments, please) along with all other yard waste. The town resident permit for the Transfer Station is $20 for the year, and includes the Christmas tree recycling. You must take the tree yourself. Winter hours for the Transfer Station are 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sundays. The town's Christmas trees are taken to a facility in Maine, and recycled into wood pellets.

2. Milford Scouts will collect your tree, at curbside, for a modest fee of $8. This will take place from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 6. Please leave the cash attached to the tree or taped to the inside of your front door. The trees should be placed at curb by 8 a.m. on Jan. 6. This door-to-door service is for Milford only.

Upton

1. The town of Upton has contracted with a private company, E.L. Harvey, to collect Christmas trees, for a fee. People who want their tree collected at curbside should pre-pay the $10 fee, by mailing a check to the town Board of Health, 1 Main St., Upton, MA 01568 (please include your name and location of pickup), or presenting cash in person, at the Board of Health office, 1 Grove Street. The collection will be Monday, Jan. 14. Payment must be received by Jan. 11 to be included on the pickup list.

Mendon

For a $5 donation, Troop 44 Boy Scouts will pick up your tree  in Mendon on Saturday, Jan. 5 or Sunday, Jan. 6. All pickups must be scheduled. Please email xmasTree@troop44mendon.org.

Hopedale

Boy Scout Troop 1 of Hopedale will hold its annual Christmas tree and wreath pickup fundraiser on Saturday, Jan. 5 and Sunday, Jan. 6. Trees and wreaths should be placed at the curb by 8 a.m. on either day. The donation is $5 for trees and $3 for wreaths.