Christmas Tree Pickup Schedule in Boston

The city will take your tree from the curb, but only for two weeks in January.

You may not be ready yet to put an end to the holidays, but your tree must be taken down and go out for composting during the first two full weeks of January or you'll be stuck disposing of it on your own.  The Boston Public Works Department announced this week it will collect Christmas trees for composting in the South End from Jan. 7-18, 2013. To get your tree ready for removal, make sure to take off all ornaments, decorations, and stands and place your tree aon the curb by 7 a.m. on your recycling day. Do not put trees in plastic bags. Don't forget to recycle your holiday cards, catalogs and wrapping paper as well. For recycling tips for LED lights and other holiday items, see here. 

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Where to Eat on Christmas in the South End

Here's a short list of places serving Christmas Day specials in the South End where you're sure to get a great meal.

Asana: Just a few blocks from the South End, Asana in the Madarin Oriental Hotel will be serving a family style dinner with carving stations of roasted turkey, ham, and prime rib. The dinner includes appetizers like a seafood tower, duck confit, sides like sweet potatoes, cornbread, and a desert buffet. $98 per adult, $38 per child. (617) 535-8888. Petit Robert Bistro: The Columbus Avenue bistro is open all day and night on Christmas, offering their full regular menu and and "Jacky's famous Beef Wellington," followed by the Buche de Noel. Regular prices, (617) 867-0600. Brasserie Jo: Although it's not in the South End, it's pretty close. Enjoy French favorites on Christmas at Brasserie Joe, with an a la carte menu featuring foie gras …

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Vote for a West Roxbury Home and Win $100K for Boston Public Schools

A West Roxbury home is one of 24 national finalists in Patch's Deck the House contest. Vote now, vote often and let's bring home $100,000 for Boston Public Schools!

You can help Boston Public Schools win $100,000! Just click on this link and vote for Richie DiSalvo's West Roxbury home in Patch's nationwide Deck the House contest. Contestants across the country submitted photos and videos of their homes decked out for the holidays. Patch selected 24 national finalists and the West Roxbury home pictured above is the only contestant in the BPS district. Starting today through Jan. 8 you will be able to vote for the Best Decked House in all of Patch. The grand prize winner’s school district will receive a $100,000 check from Patch! Post this article on your Facebook account, tweet it and send it around. What better way to start the new year than to help our schools win $100,000!

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Five Things

Five Things: Christmas Tree Pick-Up Starts Monday

Today is Thursday, Dec. 29. Here are five things you need to know today:

1. It should be sunny but cold today, with temperatures in the high 20s to low 30s. 2. The city of Boston will be picking up Christmas trees curbside for composting on recycling days during the first two weeks of January, from Monday, Jan. 2, to Friday, Jan. 13. Make sure you remove all ornaments, decorations and stands from your tree, and have it on the curb by 7 a.m. on your recycling day. Do not put your tree in a plastic bag. To look up your recycling day, click here. 3. Join the conversation: Do you support the increase of street sweeping in the South End? With official word that street sweeping in the South End will now go from March to December (instead of April to November), we want to know what you think: Will the change make …

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MBTA Worker in Hot Water for Holiday Message

The employee who put the lyrics to "Deck the Halls" on a Park Street digital message board Christmas night will be reprimanded Tuesday.

Five Things

Five Things: The Day After

Today is Monday, Dec. 26. Here are five things you need to know today:

1. It should be mostly sunny today, with temperatures in the low 40s. The overnight low is 29. 2. Monday, Dec. 26, is the last day to submit entries for Patch.com’s “Deck The House” contest. All 24 finalists will receive $500 toward their December electric bill, while the overall winner will win $100,000 for their local school district. 3. What gadget did you get for Christmas? An iPhone? An Android? An iPad? Or something else? Or nothing at all? Let us know! 4. If you did get a new mobile device (or if you already had one), Patch.com has apps for both iPhones and Androids. They’re a great way to stay connected to your community. 5. Too busy prepping for Christmas to check the news last week? Get all caught up to speed with our “Week in …

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Follow St. Nick's Every Move with the Santa Tracker

Keep tabs on Santa as he makes his way to your home on Christmas Eve.

Sure, he sees you when you're sleeping. But now it's your turn to keep tabs on the Man in Red. This season you can track Santa's flight in Google Earth, receive mobile phone updates on his whereabouts, and check in regularly for high speed-photo and video footage of his reindeer and sleigh as they deliver presents around the world. He's also on Facebook and Twitter.  How, exactly? The Colorado-based North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) is charged with keeping the United States and Canada safe from dangers originating from the sky or space. So it stands to reason they would use radar, satellites, Santa Cams and fighter jets to track Santa's flight path from the North Pole, across North America. According to their …

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Five Things

Five Things: Hurley First Graders at Stephi's on Tremont

Today is Friday, Dec. 23. Here are five things you need to know today:

1. It’s supposed to rain this morning, but Christmas Eve and Christmas should both be mostly sunny with temperatures in the high 30s to low 40s. 2. First graders at Joseph J. Hurley School got cooking lessons Wednesday morning at Stephi’s on Tremont from chef Corey Comeau. Stephi’s on Tremont will also be sponsoring the school’s vegetable garden in the spring. 3. In case you missed it: Maurice Beaudet, one of Boston’s homeless, shared his Christmas memories Thursday. Beaudet lives in transitional housing on Shawmut Avenue run by the Pine Street Inn. 4. There was a reported bank robbery at Hingham Institution for Savings, 540 Tremont St., at 12:25 p.m. Thursday. The suspect handed a teller a note, received money and then fled on foot toward…

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Memories of Christmases Long, Long Ago

For Maurice Beaudet, one of Boston’s homeless, Christmas was always about family. Now, it's about self-reflection.

When Maurice Beaudet was growing up, his father never owned a wedding ring. “We were poor,” Beaudet, now 58, said recently, “and my father, he was the type of guy who never bought anything for himself. The only time he got something good was when someone gave him something for Christmas.” Beaudet’s father worked long hours as a foreman in a plastics factory in Fitchburg, where he and his wife raised their family: Beaudet, his brother and their three step-siblings from their parents’ previous marriages. When Beaudet, who now lives in transitional housing on Shawmut Avenue run by the Pine Street Inn, was 15, he became frustrated with school, dropped out and joined his father at the factory. About a decade later, when Beaudet was in his mid …

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