People often ask me if I put up a Christmas tree. I used to put up a beautiful live tree each year, but haven’t in a while. Time being one of the reasons, but over the years, pets became another reason. Have pets influenced your decisions about a tree?
A friend and neighbor, in the face of my treeless status, offered me a small one she had and no longer used. Of course, I have a bazillion ways to trim it collected over the years, but I also had easy access to a few things. There it is, on my oak bench where I can enjoy it when I journal, read, or soon … write rather late Christmas cards.
A very dear friend of mine has a saying which I have now incorporated into my vernacular – “Something is better than nothing.” And indeed, I find it true. It’s small, but it’s something. I find myself fairly mesmerized by this little stranger which reminds me of many Christmases gone by. I like just sitting near it. Funny how deeply ingrained our memories can be.
The good thing is that Jazzy, unlike previous pets, has not decided to pull it over or de-trim it. The first of my beloved pets to have me reconsider the wisdom of having a tree was Mewsette. As is true with many felines, she did her best work at night, and every morning I would come down to find at least the bottom tier of ornaments missing, some broken. OK, let’s just put unbreakable ones on the lower branches. It minimized breakage but didn’t affect one iota my having an ornament scavenger hunt each morning. The final result? Nothing detachable at the bottom of the tree. Not very pretty.
Then we had Chloe, one of my pair of sweet pittie girls. Chloe was determined to see if she could possibly squeeze in the corner behind it. I would come into the room with her shmushed behind the tree, tail wagging off ornaments. Nothing I could do would discourage her efforts. Yet another strike against the concept of having a tree, especially on the occasion when she knocked it over.
Shut the animals out of the room, you say? Who wants to be in the living room, tree all aglow, without your fuzzy ones to keep you company? Or chase them in and out? Eventually, I just gave up. There have always been little spots of Christmas all over the house which, on the whole, none of them ever paid any mind. But this little tree? Perhaps it is my toe into the waters of real trees.
Or maybe this is just perfect for me.
Still A Dreamer 
It is a perfect little tree and also represents the love you have for your pets by thinking of them too. We used to have five cats but fortunately there was only one year they were interested in the tree and didn’t do too much damage. Now we just have Winston and he’s never shown any interest at all, so we can decorate as we please 🙂
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You were lucky! I assume it’s just as well that I don’t have a big, live tree … wait, maybe that’s WHY Jazzy’s not interested! But thanks – you’re right. It’s the perfect little tree and it makes me happy. Who needs more?
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What a sweet little tree:) I understand the Christmas tree with cats struggle. We have four rescue kitties, or they have us, and a tree decorated with lights and shiny blingy ornaments is too excited not to play with! Luckily of the four only one has any real interest in it. I’m with you, what’s any room without the love and comfort of cats? Happy holidays! 🎄
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Same to you, Cheryl. And happily, Jazzy (all my animals have been rescues, as well) has still shown little interest. But the deco is minimal and all non-breakable, so I’d manage even if she did. 🙂
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Oh, I love this post! and your corner with the poinsetta and furniture is so warm and happy.
Re: Pets and ornaments and Christmas trees.
Hey, Jeanne — At least your pets didn’t pee on your tree! Ours did, and we spent days trying to find the source of the bad smell!
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Oh, no. That really would be awful, and especially if it were a male cat (though a dog wouldn’t be all that much better.) You’d probably have to throw the tree out. Was it because it was a live tree to it didn’t matter?
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A male dog who sniffed the tree trunk and concluded he was outdoors. Couldn’t really blame him. It was a real tree and the skirt got most of it.
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Ahhh … a little leg-lifter. It was probably a dream come true – the love of marking a tree while enjoying the convenience of staying indoors!
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No tree here. Too many idle paws. 🙂
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Completely understood! I am actually puzzled that Jazzy has no interest in my little tree. Puzzled but happy!
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