Post-Holiday Clean-up
Getting the house back to normal after the holidays can be a daunting task, but finding someone to take that de-ornamented tree off your hands can go a long way toward restoring order. The City of Springfield has a list of Christmas tree drop-off facilities [pdf] who'd be happy to oblige.
If you're trying to get rid of unwanted gifts, check out resources like the Springfield Freecycle group, where you can trade something you don't want for something you do, or Ebay Giving Works, where you can sell unneeded items and donate all the proceeds to charity. You might also consider donating those extra coffee mugs, cable sweaters, and singing stuffed animals to local charities. Similarly, consider taking your stash of Christmas cards to The Etc. Center, where they will be happily snatched up by local educators for classroom craft projects.
The holidays also leave many of us with extra food and piles of fat- and sugar-filled goodies we can't manage to eat before we collapse from over-indulgence. Instead of throwing away all those guilt-inducing cookies and chocolates, freeze them and enjoy them in guilt-free moderation throughout the year. The same goes for that ham and turkey taking up space in your refrigerator. To find ways to get creative with your leftovers, check out related recipes from the library's cookbook collection.
For ideas on what to do with other holiday remainders, see The City's list of Holiday Waste Reduction Tips [pdf].
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