Let\u2019s call this a No-Tree Tuesday, shall we?<\/p>\n
Every year around this time, the same debate pops up like a strand of tinsel you can\u2019t quite get rid of: When are you supposed to take the Christmas tree down? Is there an official cutoff? A universally agreed-upon date when the holidays are truly over and you\u2019re supposed to move on?<\/p>\n
Let me tell you right now\u2014if that tree is still bringing you joy, leave it up\u2026 as long as it\u2019s artificial. I don\u2019t see why happiness should have an expiration date. If a lit tree makes your living room feel warmer or less bleak in January, then congratulations\u2014you\u2019ve found a small win in the dead of winter (even though it’s hot in Lubbock<\/a>).<\/p>\n Artificial Trees: Joy Has No Deadline<\/p>\n Artificial trees don\u2019t dry out, don\u2019t shed needles, and don\u2019t slowly turn into a fire hazard. They\u2019re basically d\u00e9cor with zero consequences. If your fake tree is still making you smile, it can stay right where it is. Seasonal joy doesn\u2019t need permission.<\/p>\n Real Trees: Time\u2019s Up<\/p>\n On the other side of this coin are people with real trees. At this point, it\u2019s time to get that thing out of your house. One year, just for fun, we had friends bring their old Christmas trees over for a burn party, and the results were honestly shocking. Dried Christmas trees don\u2019t burn slowly. They don\u2019t crackle. They go WHOOSH. Instant flames\u2014twice the size of the tree\u2014faster than anything I\u2019ve ever seen outside of straight gasoline. If you still have a real tree indoors, you\u2019re basically keeping a giant tinder bundle in your living room.<\/p>\n How Lubbock Makes It Easy<\/p>\n If you\u2019re in Lubbock and need to get rid of a real tree, the city makes it simple. Lubbock residents can recycle live Christmas trees at the four Citizen Convenience Stations through January:<\/p>\n 208 Municipal Drive<\/p>\n 1631 84th St<\/p>\n 7308 Milwaukee Ave<\/p>\n 4307 Adrian St<\/p>\n What\u2019s cool is that the trees are ground into mulch, which residents can pick up for free year-round while supplies last. That\u2019s useful, responsible, and way safer than any backyard experiment.<\/p>\n