Keep the Day After Christmas Green with Holiday Recycling

Don't throw away your live tree or holiday lights this year when you can recycle them in Maryland Heights.

Once the holidays are over it's easy to chuck everything to the curb and get on with the long winter ahead. Before you do, consider some of the great recycling options in Maryland Heights. Don't let your tree end up in a landfill this year. It's all organic matter, so it still has plenty of use left in it. St. Louis Compost here in Maryland Heights will recycle your dead Christmas Tree for $1. Bring it by any time between 6 a.m. - 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. They're located at 11294 Schaefer Road. If your holiday lights no longer twinkle, you can contribute them to St. Louis Green's holiday recycling drive. They're accepting broken holiday lights at locations around the metro area, including Car-X here in Maryland Heights. They've kept …

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Five Places to Cut Your Own Christmas Tree

The National Christmas Tree Association, based in Chesterfield, offers advice for families cutting their own trees from local farms.

If the freshest Christmas tree possible is on your holiday wish list, experts say you should cut your own at a local tree farm. The National Christmas Tree Association in Chesterfield offers tips on how to find the perfect tree: And if you’ve never cut down a tree, here are some guidelines from Chesterfield’s National Christmas Tree Association: Try one of these nearby farms for your tree: Christmas Traditions Tree Farm: This farm is 30 minutes west of St. Charles and offers trees, wreaths, swags, and other specialty items. Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nov. 25-27 and Dec. 3, 4, 10, 11. Open Dec. 17 and 18 subject to availability. Contact the owners after Dec. 11 to check. Address: 25882 S. Lohman Road, Wright City, MO.  Phone: 636-745-7488 …

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Winter Serenity at Creve Coeur Park

Most weeks we bring you photo gallerys featuring your neighbors, but this week we're bringing you the beauty of nature before all the ice melts.

This week Framed by Patch visited Creve Coeur Lake Memorial Park to enjoy a last bit of peaceful winter calm. We found a few ambitious flocks of ducks in braving portions of the lake that weren't yet iced over. Further afield, we stumbled on a graveyard for Christmas Trees. 

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Baby's First Christmas

Marissa and Chris Harper of Maryland Heights welcome their infant daughter Avery for her first Christmas.

Little Avery Harper is only seven weeks old, but her family is already starting holiday traditions. "When I was growing up, my parents bought me a new ornament every year," said Marissa, Avery's mother. "They gave me the ornaments when I got my own place. My very first Christmas tree was full of ornaments they bought year after year. Each one had a memory. I want her to have that when she grows up." Marissa and Chris already have a two year old son named Trenton. She said the addition of Avery made their family complete. This year they've taken her hand prints for ornaments and had photos taken with Santa holding a tiny Avery dressed all in red. Next year, when Trenton is old enough to understand what they're doing, the Harpers plan to …

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