It's Over
Ok. Christmas is over. Time to dump those trees. Let's do it quickly, now. Those dried out trees are a big fire hazard.
Yeah, I know. Some people feel they have to wait until after January 1 to dump their trees but, might I suggest you think about the safety of your home and family and get rid of the tree today?
You can get rid of your tree for free in most areas. I know Eureka's City Garbage takes them for free up until January 6. If for some reason you can't take it there yourself, they'll pick it up for a fee, as will various charitable organizations.
No excuse for not getting the tree to a recycling center. You got it to your house, didn't you? Amazing how people seem to have no problem getting the tree to their house but for some reason seem unable to get rid of it. Do it now, folks, before too much time goes by.
I got nailed once because someone took too long in getting rid of a Christmas tree. I haul off my customer's trees for free, at least while they're still being accepted for free by City Garbage.
One time I went by a gal's house on Carson Street in Eureka. She'd finally hauled her tree out and it was laying beside her house. I figured I'd make her real happy by hauling it to the dump for her.
That tree probably wasn't over eight feet tall but it was REALLY heavy. Took me by surprise because it sure didn't look that heavy. But I managed to get it into the back of my truck and drove straight to City Garbage with it. It was so wide it took up the whole bed of the truck so I had to get rid of it ASAP.
I drive up to City Garbage and didn't see the bin they were supposed to have out for Christmas trees. I went to the scale and asked about it. They stopped accepting trees for free the day before. Eeeghads!!! Now I was stuck with this big, heavy tree.
I drove home trying to decide what to do with it, trying to come up with some creative solution. In the end, all I could do was take it back to City Garbage and pay to dump it as green waste. Talk about adding insult to injury to a guy that hates Christmas anyway.
So, take heed and get rid of your trees today or by the end of the week at the latest.
Oh, and while you're going to dump the tree, have the rest of your housemates take down all the lights and other Christmas decorations. Please. Enough is enough.
posted by Fred Mangels @ 7:45 AM
26 comments
26 Comments:
No, no, no, Fred. I will keep mine up until Twelfth Night (January 6), then I will take it down and burn it on a permissive burn day and enjoy the fire in my back yard. But I will be very careful!
I burn mine, too. Though some years the boy scouts come by as a fundraiser - they haul it off.
Just give it some root growth and replant it somewhere.
Carol wrote, "I will keep mine up until Twelfth Night (January 6),...".
No, no, NO, Carol. Get rid of it now!
Ok. I'll let it go. If there's one thing I like, it's Christmas trees burning. Please burn all your ornaments as well.
Hey, here's an idea: Why don't you organize a community Christmas tree burn for Loleta? I actually enjoyed those as a kid, short- lived though they were.
When I was living down south in Irvine- this was back in the late 60s and early 70s- they had a community tree burn each year.
There was an empty lot next to the shopping center near our house. Everyone would dump their Christmas trees there when they were done with them.
On a certain night, people would show up by the hundreds, well...maybe the dozens, to watch the trees burn. The local fire department would come out and start it and everybody would watch the pile go "POOF".
That's why I say it was short- lived. The trees were all dried out and they burned real fast. I'd say the whole pile of 100 to 200 trees would burn up in five minutes and you'd have to back away from all the heat. Quite a sight for a young kid, though. I enjoyed it while it lasted.
I'm sure you'll get started on it right away, Carol? Be something new up here, anyway.
Listen Fred! We cannot have you urging the good people of Humboldt County to engage in anything so crass as burning winter solstice celebration paraphernalia. Have you no shame? Are you not aware of the tons of carbon this will add to the atmosphere and thus also to Global Warming™? You are probably one of those who would gleefully witness the inundation of the Arcata bottoms (and I don't mean the derrières of HSU coeds) by the accompanying sea level rise forecast by pope Owl Gore. No, the subject material must be ground to mulch (by hand, no fossil fueled chippers) for use on the state certified organic gardens. If, however you insist on this sacrilege, at least get your Carbon Offsets™ here. Besides, it ain't over yet. Happy Boxing Day!
Would you like me to invite you over for the Christmas tree burn, Fred?
They do burn fast. And it is fun to watch. However, we won't be burning the ornaments, as some of them are old family ornaments and we like them!
Oh,according to some old Celtic or Pagan tradition, the greens in the house absorb any negative energy and are released when you burn them. I heard that some time ago, don't remember when and where, but I like to burn my Christmas tree and smudge the neighborhood. Must be a throw-back to my days working for the forestry in the Y.F.P.P.
Oh Fred, you told me that you were raised in the Episcopal Church, too, so surely you must remember Twelfth Night church services - the day the 3 Wiseman supposedly visited The Messiah.
Due to my wife's allergy, we have a fake tree. It'll be up until January 6.
Sorry Fred.
It's so strange that nobody ever wrote about where the three wise men came from. Were they Jewish looking for the Messiah or something else entirely?
Just for you Fred, I'm going to buy 75% off Christmas lights at the store and put them up now.
Yeah, figures, Anon. Better hurry, though. I just got back from Rite- Aid and they do have a 75% off sale on some of the Christmas stuff. But they're clearing out the aisles fast. They've already started up sales for the next big social event:
VALENTINES DAY!
I HATE Valentines Day!
But at least it's not a holiday and businesses don't close and the mail doesn't get screwed up. It's pretty easy to ignore Valentine's Day.
Ok. Don't you all go rushing down there all at once to buy your Valentine's Day stuff.
Ah, but then there is St. Patrick's Day. Just think, corned beef, cabbage, green beer--but first we have to get through the rest of these lesser holidays like New Years and Presidents Day. And we have to take down the Christmas tree.
Valentines is a Hallmark Holiday. It's what I've tried to convince all of my female companions. They don't buy it.
It makes me happy to hear that anon.r.mous will be decorating for Christmas! It still is the season of Christmas until January sixth, but why can't we keep the spirit going all year?
Hey Fred, remember me? The one you once said, "Scares you"? Yup, I'm still around. Yup, you're still the best of the left. Finally, yup, I agree that folks with real Christmas trees should be sure and dispose of them properly. As for this Republican, I have 2 pre-lit trees that will be taken down within the next couple of days. My daughter's birthday is January 1st, and I like her birthday to be about her and not mushed in with any other celebrations.
Hope you're well!
Carol wrote, "but why can't we keep the spirit going all year?".
Carol deserves a spankin'.
Patriotic Mom (Pamela) wrote, "Yup, you're still the best of the left.".
Isn't it great being called a lefty from one side and a right winger from the other?
Thanks, Pam. Long time no hear from you.
Isn't this interesting:
Despite one being a hard core left winger, and the other a hard core right winger, Pam and Carol seem to have at least something in common: Both love Christmas.
Check out Pam's blog by clicking on the link on her name. I use to have her blog bookmarked. Got rid of it because she didn't post for, what seemed like, months. She seems to be up and running again.
Hard core God and Country, Right Wing military stuff. Pretty scary, huh? I'm sure Pam even thinks so by now.
Oh no,Carol,you're one of those who just leaves their lights up all the time.Sorry folks we give you from Thanksgiving until Dec.25th,that's plenty of time.As my mother often tells me, "you need to learn to use your time more wisely"!!
Well Christmas may be over but Crab Season is still in full swing her at Fred's Humboldt blog.
Perhaps Christmas isn't the problem Fred Maybe the problem is you.. Perhaps your just such a congenital misanthrope that you simply can't bear the thought of actually having to be nice to people for just one day out of the year.
...according to some old Celtic or Pagan tradition, the greens in the house absorb any negative energy and are released when you burn them. I heard that some time ago, don't remember when and where, but I like to burn my Christmas tree and smudge the neighborhood...
Love the concept!
Awe, Fred, thanks for that! I was indeed gone...you know the whole cancer thing and all. I am back and trying to regain my strength. Heck, I don't even mind being called right-winged, just as long as I have wings to flap, I'm happy. Oh, and I'm glad to you flapping your wings to remind me those whose wings are stronger on the left.
Just visited her blog, and while I agree with practically nothing I do enjoy her very open and honest writing. Seems like a nice person. Maybe we can trade internet harassers for awhile.
We will all just keep "flapping our wings" and keep up with the Clickety-Clackety of our computers.
Mr. Esquan, the lights will come down January 6th, unless there is a bad storm. I don't keep the lights up all year, but I do have some pretty lamps in my house that I keep on automatic timers to keep the house in good cheer!
I have decided to leave my tree up until at least January 7th. While I would like to take advantage of the free recycling, it is worth it just to annoy you Fred. What a curmudgeon you are.
Not to worry, harrump. I've seen a number of trucks and cars heading down the street, today, with Xmas trees in tow. They're heading down to recycle them.
You, like Carol, may want to annoy me, and put yourself at risk. Seems to me most people are of wiser minds. It's over, and they're recycling their trees. Those of you that insist on holding on until the last minute just prove that I'm right.
Fred and the rest you merry gentlemen, goddammit, Xmas isn't over yet:
The Octave of Christmas -- eight days starting on the 25th.
The Twelve Days of Christmas -- from Xmas (aka Feast of the Nativity) to Epiphany.
Then Christmastide, from the Feast of the Nativity to Candlemas -- Feb. 2.
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