It happens nearly every year: The lights are brought up from the basement, or in from the garage, or down from the attic. No matter how carefully they were stored, they emerge a tangled mess. And when they are finally untangled... and plugged in just to check... one or more of the strings turns out to be kaput.
If the Elf on the Shelf heard what you said when that happened (or, rather, didn't happen), you'd wind up on Santa's naughty list for sure.
But, other than cursing them, what can you do with the no-longer-functioning strings of lights?
Charlie Meyerson's December 2 Chicago Public Square carried a link to this WTTW post touting efforts by a group of North Side alderpersons and community organizations to recycle non-working holiday lights.
As the linked WTTW article notes, Christmas lights are not permitted in regular recycling bins.
Here is the list, lifted from the WTTW site, where those dead holiday lights will be accepted for recycling:
- 40th Ward office, 5620 N. Western Ave.
- 47th Ward office, 4243 N. Lincoln Ave.
- 48th Ward office, 5533 N. Broadway
- Northcenter Chamber of Commerce, 4054 N. Lincoln Ave.
- A Pretty Flower, 2334 W. Lawrence Ave.
- Erwin Law, 4043 N. Ravenswood Ave., Suite 208
Used extension cords will also be accepted at these locations.
