Years ago I was driving home the morning after an all-night New Year's Eve party when I passed a house that had already tossed its Christmas tree to the curb.

Better yet, there was a car--undoubtedly left by someone drowning in New Year's cheer--parked at a rakish uptilted angle mostly on top of the tree.

But best of all, my first thought on seeing this unexpected tableau was, "Jeez, don't wait until Epiphany to throw your tree out or anything."