If you're spending the weekend taking your Christmas tree down, don't throw it away just yet.

The city of Chicago's tree recycling program kicks off next week. It's being held by the Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation, in partnership with the Chicago Park District.

People looking for a better way to dispose of their live trees can take them to one of 27 drop-off locations around the city, between Jan. 3 and 17.

Before doing so, all decorations must be removed before recycling.

What will happen to the trees?

All recycled Christmas trees will be turned into mulch, which will be available for free pick-up on Jan. 5.

Locations for holiday tree recycling

Below is the complete list of locations where you can drop off Christmas trees for recycling. Again, they must be real trees. 

• Bessemer Park at 8930 S. Muskegon Ave. 
• Clark Park at 3400 N. Rockwell St. 
• Forestry site at 900 E. 103rd St. – Free mulch
• Garfield Park at 100 N. Central Park Ave. 
• Grant Park at 900 S. Columbus Dr. 
• Hiawatha Park at 8029 W. Forest Preserve Dr. 
• Humboldt Park Boathouse at 1369 N. Sacramento Ave. 
• Jackson Park at 6300 S. Cornell Ave. 
• Kelvyn Park at 4438 W. Wrightwood Ave. 
• Kennedy Park at 2427 W. 113th St. 
• Lake Meadows Park at 3117 S. Rhodes Ave. 
• Lincoln Park (east side of Cannon Drive and north of Fullerton Avenue) – Free mulch 
• Mahalia Jackson Park at 8385 S. Birkhoff Ave. 
• Margate Park at 4921 N. Marine Dr. – Free mulch
• Marquette Park at 6700 S. Kedzie Ave. 
• McKinley Park at 2210 W. Pershing Rd. 
• *mt. greenwood park - 3721 w. 111th St. – Free mulch available 
• *north park village - 5801 n. pulaski rd. – Free mulch available 
• Norwood Park service yard at 5800 N. Avondale Ave. 
• Portage Park at 4100 N. Long Ave. 
• Riis Park at 6201 W. Wrightwood Ave. 
• Rowan Park at 11546 S. Avenue L.
• Sheridan Park at 910 S. Aberdeen St. 
• Walsh Park at 1722 N. Ashland Ave. 
• Warren Park at 6601 N. Western Ave. – Free mulch 
• Wentworth Park at 5701 S. Narragansett Ave. 
• West Chatham Park at 8223 S. Princeton Ave.