Well, so that is that. Now we must dismantle the tree,
Putting the decorations back into their cardboard boxes -
Some have got broken - and carrying them up to the attic.
The holly and the mistletoe must be taken down and burnt,
And the children got ready for school. There are enough
Leftovers to do, warmed up, for the rest of the week -
Not that we have much appetite, having drunk such a lot,
‘Burnt’ adds a small frisson of energy to an otherwise mundane sentence. It’s slightly odd that Auden gives us the means of disposal of these festive plants. Of course, new holly and mistletoe will be used next year, but for now, this year’s are destroyed in a permanent chemical reaction. 
 
 
 Ultimately, we’re led to question just how cyclical and unchanging the Christmas tradition is.
Well So That Is That