How’s your Easter tree?

On the 36th day of Christmas, my true love gave to me . . . .

The song blessedly hasn’t extended that far, but I note with surprise how some local Christmas decorations have.

As someone who once kept a non-artificial Christmas tree up long enough to become an Easter tree, I can relate. I also have painful memories of picking up shards of Christmas joy out of my carpet for weeks to come.

Whatever the case, it does seem odd visiting the 400 block of Elm St. in Marion or driving past Marion High School to see Christmas lights still going each night.

If this means the Christmas spirit is alive and well in those locations and no neighbor wants to be the first to abandon it, great. If it means inclement weather and automatic timers have conspired merely to make it seem that way, fine as well. If it’s to ensure there’ll be plenty of light for groundhogs to see their shadows Friday, maybe it isn’t such a great idea.

At any rate, thanks to a few residents, some neighborhoods remain reminders of a winter wonderland rather than the winter disaster area that most of the county has become.

Maybe Easter trees aren’t such a bad idea after all.

— ERIC MEYER