`Twas soon after Christmas and the house was a mess
With piles of paper and cardboard up to my chest.
The tree is dried out and the lights barely work.
And the toy batteries died? – Argh! I’m so irked!
I have packages filled with block Styrofoam
And no clue what do with this busted iPhone.
My goodness, oh my! Look at this rigid plastic
A cracked pail, a broke crate – this just makes me sick.
Let’s not even talk about the oil from our fryer
The turkey was good, but why did I buy’er?
I could never fit all of this into my carts
And it’s just so much stuff it puts an ache in my heart.
But just when I was to fall to despair
With visions of landfills filling the air,
I remembered that – no – I can be better.
I loaded my car and threw on a sweater.
I’m off to the drop-off site to recycle
All of this junk because it’s so vital.
The hours are shortened but it’s worth my time
For helping the Earth is truly sublime.
I unloaded my stuff into the appropriate spots
I read all the signs and did as I ought.
I sprang back to my car and let out a hoot
Thrilled that I could recycle this loot,
But as I drove home, I rightly proclaimed
That next year my waste will be better constrained.
 
Apologies to Clement Clarke Moore, the author of the original A Visit from St. Nicholas and all lovers of poetry.
 
 
Drop-off Site Information
The Streets Division has two drop-off sites where residents and taxpayers of Madison can recycle wrapping paper, cardboard, holiday lights, molded Styrofoam, electronics (including cell phones), household batteries, rigid plastic, and cooking oil.  People can also drop off this season’s Christmas tree along with other brush.
 
The sites are located at 4602 Sycamore Ave. on the east side and 1501 W. Badger Rd. on the southwest side. 
 
The sites are open winter hours currently, which is 7:30am to 3:00pm Monday to Friday.  The sites are also closed during holidays.
 
For more information about the drop off sites, please call 608-246-4532 for Sycamore Ave. and 608-266-4681 for W. Badger Rd.
 
More information about the drop-off sites and all of our recycling and solid waste service can be found on the Streets Division’s website.
 
Special Note about Wrapping Paper
Wrapping paper can be recycled in the green recycling cart at home.  However, we cannot accept foil wrapping paper.  Residents must remove any ribbons, string, bows, wire, and so on as well.  Those items cannot be recycled in our system, and pose a tangling hazard for the sorting equipment at the recycling center.