THE big day is over and now the gradual tidying begins – including getting rid of the Christmas tree.

Southampton City Council has issued advice on what to do, whether your festive fir is real or plastic.

Real Christmas trees can be taken to a Household Waste Recycling Centre for composting.

All of these facilities in Hampshire will be closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day.

However, when open, the centre in Millbrook will not require a booking, as the council continues its trial.

Other nearby HWRC include Netley and Marchwood, but both require a booked slot.

Real trees can also be put out for collection after Christmas and in early January.

A spokesperson for the council said: "If you’re signed up to our garden waste collection service then you can cut the tree up into manageable pieces and leave it next to your brown lidded bin for a kerbside collection on your next scheduled collection day."

Collections resume as normal on December 27 and 28, despite these being bank holidays.

Unwanted plastic Christmas trees can also be taken to the Household Waste Recycling Centre for disposal.

However, they cannot go in the blue lidded recycling bin.