Monday 8 December 2014

True Confessions (Christmas Tree Version)

Got your tree up yet? I'm not putting up a full-size Christmas tree this year, just a little pre-decorated tabletop thing. But at least I'm not as lazy as THIS bunch --


Or THESE slackers --


I'm sure all you cat lovers will agree -- who wouldn't gladly break one of the Ten Commandments to covet THIS tree?


However, this next photo more accurately represents the cold, hard reality of how cats and Christmas trees really mix. Cats are mighty sinners when it comes to festive trees and other decorations, but do they EVER set one paw inside a confessional? Of course not. They don't give a good goddamn.


And even Christmas trees themselves can have their dirty little secrets --


One year I left my Christmas tree up until June. DON'T YOU JUDGE ME! I was a super busy young professional and had absolutely NO time to take it down. That was a cray-cray year, man.

Leave YOUR true Christmas tree confessions in the comments -- c'mon now, I dares ya.

57 comments:

Mark said...

We only just got our tree up for the first time in a number of years here. My nieces, who visit once a week, insisted on buying one and decorating it themselves.

mxtodis123 said...

Put my tree up the day after Thanksgiving. Don't have to worry about Miss Minga anymore. She could care less about the tree, but in her youth, I used to put cow bells on the bottom branches. That kept her away.
MAry

Plowing Through Life (Martha) said...

Hahaha! I love this post. Just my type. I laughed out loud with the tree that you blow up. Great idea. Although it wouldn't last long in our house. The cats would eventually pierce it with their nails and POOF it would be finished.

Confession at our place: We didn't take down our Christmas lights after last Christmas came and went. But it came in handy, though. All we had to do this year is switch them on :)

Gia said...

Kitty! At my place, I only have a tiny fiber optic tree. My parents still get a real tree though. Let's hope kitty doesn't climb it when I bring her home for the holidays....

Unknown said...

Last year I didn't even buy a tree until 3 days before Christmas. I decorated it the night before Christmas Eve and chucked it out the door before New Years Day. This year with two cats who love to sleep under the tree and a one yr old dog who loves to harass the cats, the Christmas Tree will probably be up for about the same amount of time this year.

Pickleope said...

No judgement on your or anyone else's tree practices. I put up my Saturnalia tree up December 1, and take it down whenever it sets itself on fire. But I'm militant like that.

Lady M said...

That first one is a hoot!

DEZMOND said...

I never take down my christmas lights in my royal chambers... I like it sparkly....

jaz@octoberfarm said...

i have a really bad case of the martha stewarts and always do everything in a timely fashion. the shame!

Jeanne said...

Forgive me Father....errr....Mother(?) for I have sinned shamefully!I have not put up a tree but I blame it on Gomez's doppelganger - she's only a year old and loves to climb! So short of putting a tree inside a cage, we opted not to bother. :o)

Ken said...

When our kids were much smaller, we had a fence to keep them from getting tangled up in the tree.

But, it was a nice fence.

Suzie Ridler said...

I once bought a Christmas tree at an auction in Toronto when Reg wasn't looking for $4. It was so big that it took up all the space in our car and we had a scary drive back to Ottawa. Reg loathed that tree every second we had it. It was huge but cheap. The first thing he did after he graduated from the military was come home and get a REAL tree (boxed from Canadian Tire).

The Happy Whisk said...

I wish I had a confession but I don't. Can't think of anything. Boy, talk about boring.

The Lemon Tart Room (thanks again for the great name you gave it), is now the Christmas Room. I put the tree up right after Halloween.

Then we have a smallish tree on the coupon station. And lights strung up around our double office.

If I had more lights, I'd put those up too. I love lights. Down with Halloween lights, right up with Christmas. It's the best.

Have a great week and boogie boogie.

A Beer for the Shower said...

One year we got so lazy about putting away the Christmas tree, that by the time we set about doing it (around June) we just said, eh, it's closer to Christmas than not, and just left it up for the entire rest of the year. Yeah, I said it.

Unknown said...

2 years ago I didn't set up any tree at all. Nothing. And I had TWO KIDS at the time. FAIL.
My sister had a small fake tree for years and one year my brother-in-law just put the whole tree, lights and ornaments and garland all still in tact, directly into their basement closet. The following year he took it out and it was ALREADY decorated. They did for like 5 years in a row. GENIUS. I was so jealous I didn't have the closet space to hold a fully-decorated tree all year!

OmaLindasOldeBaggsandStuftShirts said...

My husband and I got married on Nov 24th. I told him that he never had to buy me an anniversary gift if he would let me put up the tree whenever I wanted to and not bitch about it as my father had my whole life. He being a smart man said sure. I have trees for almost every holiday, 4th of July, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Spring, a Gnome tree, a faery tree, a teddy bear tree, a back to school tree, a St Paddy's tree, a Dia de Los Muertos tree, a Mardi Gras tree as well as 4 different Christmas themed trees. So you see, he thought he had saved himself big bucks by agreeing to my wish......not so much.

As to the cats.....well I have installed tree savers in the ceiling. A big hook over the spot where we have the trees. That way I can fishing line the trees in place and only have to chase some ornaments around. And besides with so many trees up so much of the time.....it ain't no big deal to them.

I love the first photo....makes me think I need to do that on the front porch to shock the neighbors further...tee to the hee's.

This N That said...

Cute post..I haven't put up a tree for several years..No one sees it..I didn't even move my ornaments when I moved 2 years ago...My cats were always pretty good with my trees..

Willow said...

Kay ~ well I was going to give a far out story but I'll just bore you with the truth instead ... we get a small potted live tree lightly decorated and plant it in the Spring . Technically I guess we keep our tree up until May !

My Grama's Soul said...

Debra....needed a laugh today.....can always count on you to provide. BTW.......Pre lit fake trees ROCK!!

Jo

MrsDuncanMahogany said...

Tree is up, all through the night we hear the tinkle of ornaments being pulled down. Such a magickal time of year for the cats!

Leanna said...

I put up the tree and decorate it. David takes it down on New Years day. I hate taking the tree down, it's always so pretty.

Anonymous said...

I once decorated a Christmas tree with real candy. It stood on the terrace, and when it had rained, the candy had melted and was very sticky. It was a disaster. :-D.

e said...

One year I put up a branch instead of a tree and tried to persuade my daughter that it was the same thing. She wasn't buying it.

Some years I throw some evergreen boughs on the hearth and run some lights through them... close enough, right? Pretty and fragrant and the cats like it.

So, yeah, apparently I'm a cheap bastard who tries to get away with not getting a tree... branches rule the yule!

Jenn said...

I think one year it was nearly Valentine's Day... and it was a real tree!

Unknown said...

I take my tree down smartly after Xmas. Why? Because it's been up for far too long already! I shan't tell you when it went up ...

Robin Larkspur said...

A great idea about that cage for the tree.

The Happy Whisk said...

Wendy: I'm raising my hand really high like kids did in school saying, "I know when you put yours up, I know, I know, pick me, pick me."

G. B. Miller said...

Not too many confessionals other than we go through cycles between a real semi-dead tree and the living in perpetuity tree.

Father Nature's Corner

Adam said...

I think we're too lazy to put one up this year.

Now when I have kids, we'll have to have one every year no exceptions.

Guillaume said...

I love the cat one.

Anonymous said...

I left mine up until well into March. Taking it down is such a drag!

Little Messy Missy said...

June...hahahaha...if I have to dust it I have a problem!
xoxoxox

Janie Junebug said...

I love the trees. I can't think of any Christmas confessions, but Christmas is happier with Willy Dunne Wooters.

Love,
Janie

Crack You Whip said...

Those are hilarious trees for sure! I put up a tree once and then tossed it decorations and all. Yes, I'm that lazy.

CraveCute said...

Hahha! Just got my tree up today. Guy Noir had no interest last year. This year as I was putting the lights on, I heard a crack and turned and he had chomped through a light! And they were plugged in and on! He's OK but I now he's on the Naughty List!
The cat tree you have pictured is really creepy and I love cats!
Have a Holly Jolly Week!

teri said...

It is good to see my Valentines Day Christmas tree was beat by your June tree. A nice post to bring a smile to my face. c

Bill Lisleman said...

Lights wrapped around the box - great quick thinking.
I did post a picture of quick short tree I setup once (the post also includes a Christmas story)
http://afcsoac.blogspot.com/2012/12/a-christmas-remembered.html

Dixie@dcrelief said...

Deb, what a funny and creative post. My fave is the unopened box wrapped in lights!(#1) I thought the cat tree would be great for Halloween.

Confession-hmm? I had a very small mobile home years ago. I took three green wreaths and attached them to the wall in a triangular arrangement. Then I zig-zagged the lights back and forth. The ornaments wouldn't hang right, so I used bows and small teddy bears. (Love Teddy bears!) Turned out fine(smile).

Linda @ Life and Linda said...

Such a fun and whimsical post. It really makes me smile. The cat tree is too much. Happy Holidays.

Anonymous said...

Hmm, my Christmas tree confession? I'd have to say it's the section of unlit lights. This year they burned super bright on a couple of branches then *poof* they went out. So, about a foot of the tree in unlit all the way around. hahaha

Rosemary said...

My father always dug the tree up from the garden on Christmas Eve and we all decorated it in the evening before going to bed - it was magical as a child. I couldn't leave it that late myself, but this year I confess that I am not having a tree as I won't be here. I shall enjoy my daughter-in-laws tree instead.

Anonymous said...

I have my big tree up and a little white one down in the basement. The cat is in his glory, he loves rubbing up against the lower branches. I love how it looks but I'll probably tear it down on the 27th. I hate the clutter of the holidays the second it's over.

psychelyn said...

Until JUNE? hahaha alright, you're the winner. Well in the Philippines, we set up Christmas tree as soon as "ber months" begin and some takes them down just before Valentines :) How is that as for a confession.

Your collection of unconventional trees are great. I like the caged X'mas tree.

turquoisemoon said...

The tree is not up. BF decided we needed wood flooring, so I'm in the middle of a mess....ugh!!! Dust, furniture everywhere, equipment where furniture isn't...double ugh!!!

Vanessa Morgan said...

I have a neighbor who keeps the tree until May.

And the cage around the tree... I totally get that. I had a cat that loved to eat Christmas trees, and I had to put the tree locked up in the bathroom whenever I left the house ;-)

greekwitch said...

I am so happy you are back together with your rare one! I just read your previous post!
I loved the Yule tree made out of black cats !

Unknown said...

Happy Whisk - I shan't tell if you don't!! :))

Fundy Blue said...

Tee Hee ~ cute post, Debra ~ although that black cat tree is a little scary! Yes, my tree is up, all six feet of it. I was dragging my feet until we stood it up. Then I was all in! I'm going to keep it up at least through old Christmas. I have a friend who didn't take her tree down all year! So now she doesn't have to worry about putting it up ~ It's good to go! Have a good one!

Mary said...

Lol! About 20 years ago, my husband and I weren't allowed to have a real or artificial tree in our small apartment. We had one of those huge, wooden, old fashioned clothes drying racks, so we stung some lights on it and put a few ornaments on, and voila! :)

Riot Kitty said...

I LOVE the cat tree! But you knew I would. Very clever.

The worst thing was probably the fake tree I bought because the cats would eat the real ones...and the dumb purebred I inherited, aka the Fluffy White Fuck, ate the fake one. I mean, wtf? It can't taste any good.

LL Cool Joe said...

Ha love the photos. I have 2 Christmas trees up so far, one to go. We have a tiny tree in the dining room and the big one in the hall but now I have to do the whole arrangement for the porch. The fun never stops in this old people's home we live in.

Ol'Buzzard said...

Where can I get a cat tree?
the Ol'Buzzard

Dexter Klemperer said...

I want that inflatable tree. We put up a tree and have had no issues with pets except for the stuffed Teddy bears we placed under the tree. One by one they have gone missing only to be found dismembered and/or buried in odd places around the house. That would be the new dog.

Willym said...

It use to take me three days and at the least five attempts to get the lights "right" on the tree. Finally in desperation Laurent made me buy one of those prelit ones - I still want to try and rearrange the lights. But it does save time - now all I need is someone to help polish our silver balls (oh grow up!).

Magic Love Crow said...

June? LOL! Love the cage around the tree picture ;o) I don't know if I have any Christmas tree confessions? I know where we use to live, (in a forest), we went out one year and chopped down our tree. It was so big and so lop sided, we had to tie it up in all directions. It looked like it was falling, but it didn't! LOL! It was a cool tree ;o)

yellowdoggranny said...

that one with the black cats freaked the crap out of me..but Dexter loved it.

Dr. Theda said...

took down in April one year.....