Waterbury’s Curbside Holiday Tree Collection Happens Tomorrow

I was cruising through Facebook last night, and I noticed that Waterbury Mayor Neil O'Leary has announced that tomorrow, Wednesday January 13, 2021, that the city will be conducting their annual curbside Christmas tree collection.

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If you live in Waterbury, and, more importantly, you have a dead Christmas tree to get rid of, you are advised to place your tree at the curb today or tonight. The Christmas trees must be free of all lights and decorations, and no artificial trees are to be put out. Those will be collected with the regular solid waste collection. If you feel like disposing of your real, or artificial tree yourself, bring it to the Mark Lane Transfer Facility, Monday through Friday, between 7AM and 2:30PM. If you have any questions, you can call the Bureau of Refuse at 203-574-6857.

I'm surprised that the city waited this long to schedule the pickup. Most of the time, I had the Christmas tree out the door on New Year's Day.

According to History.com, Germany is credited with starting the indoor Christmas Tree tradition in the 16th century. In the days before electricity, lit candles were placed in the trees to brighten them up. The first record of American Christmas tree use is in the 1830's, by German immigrants in Pennsylvania. The tradition really started taking off in the 1890's, with the arrival of German Christmas ornaments to decorate the trees. When electricity came about, that's when the Christmas Tree traditions really took off, with outdoor Christmas trees and lighting. And now? You have to make an appointment to get into Rockefeller Center.