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Every year thousands and thousands of Christmas trees are tossed to the curb. But why do we so readily discard something at the centre of our joyful family moments? More importantly, why do we waste so much useful material?

In its new holiday campaign created by Lifelong Crush, Lee Valley is challenging that post-Christmas practice and inspiring crafters of all kinds to embrace its ‘Let’s do something’ ethos to give their Christmas trees a second life. Through social videos and digital in-store, the family-owned Canadian company is providing inspiration and ideas so that taking the tree down can be as rewarding as putting it up. 

While evergreen trees aren’t the same as store-bought lumber, with determination and imagination, it’s easy to make something meaningful that can deck the halls for many Christmases to come. From carvings to birdhouses to crafts, the possibilities are endless.

The campaign isn’t resting on its laurels either. There’s more in store after Christmas as the company that encourages, guides, and advises people on everything they need to know and have for DIY projects inside and outside their homes, launches broadcast segments featuring TV personality Carson Arthur detailing all the wonderful and useful ways to keep the magic of the Christmas tree alive all year through.

To encourage participation, the company is launching a social media contest, inviting customers to showcase their repurposed creations using the hashtag #LVsecondlife. 

“The post-holiday season sees many discarded Christmas trees, contributing to unnecessary waste. Recognising the potential of these trees and their natural (even if challenging) wood, we seek to inspire customers to repurpose them into beautiful and functional crafts instead of disposing of them, said Jason Tasse, president and chief operating officer at Lee Valley Tools. Adding, “by repurposing Christmas trees Canadians can create unique pieces that hold sentimental value and become lasting memories beyond the holiday, so we are excited to launch this new marketing campaign, aimed at encouraging Canadians to join the movement and give their Christmas trees a second life.”

“We love this idea of transforming trees into meaningful, lasting artefacts. It is another great opportunity for people to get creative and get their hands dirty with Lee Valley, and we are excited to be part of it all. Whether a new maker or a crafty DIYer, the thing they all have in common is their appetite to explore - and a Christmas tree is just sitting waiting for possibilities to come to life,” said Christina Yu, partner and chief creative officer at Lifelong Crush.