Once Christmas is over, there remains the problem of what to do with the tree. Some very few people use a potted tree (no snickering please) and just plant it in the yard after Christmas. End of problem, at least until you have an impenitrable grove of conifers surrounding your house.Most folks use either an artificial tree or a "live" (more correctly "amputated, and thus dead or at least terminally ill) tree. If it's an artificial tree, the solution is rather simple: put it back in the box. The "live" tree poses a bit of a problem.
This fellow proposes one solution: Christmas Tree Disposal. While amusing, your local ordinances may not allow such an expedient disposal method.
In 1965 and 1966, my family lived in the mountains of Northern California. My dad's employer owned a tree farm and gave us a "live" tree each year. Mom was never overly sentimental about Christmas and used any ploy she could to get the tree out of the house after The Day.
Her most successful ploy was the "Bird's Christmas Tree". She would remove all the ornaments from the (now quickly) browning tree and set it outside. She would then decorate the tree with little packets of birdseed and suet. The birds flocked to the tree, eating the goodies and entertaining us kids. We willingly cooperated in the process and didn't mind sharing our tree with the birds.
Once the tree had been outside in the cold and dry air for about a week, we moved it to the fire pit in the back yard (one advantage to living in a tiny rural community) and set fire to it. A dry Christmas tree burns with almost as much vigor as fireworks, and about as quickly.
--Baloo
[This message has been edited by Baloo (edited December 07, 1999).]
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