>From:    Robin Hegge <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: HOLIDAYS
>
>... My question is in regards to a X-mas tree.  We have a fake tree.
>It isn't possible to keep them from the room in which the tree will be
>standing.  We, of course will skip the tree if need be but my son would
>be crushed.  Can anyone share their ways of putting up a tree safely
>amongst fuzzies?
 
Put up the tree.  Early.  No ornaments or lights yet.  Watch the ferrets
to see if they climb it.  If they do, then you might want to consider guy
wiring it to large, stable pieces of furniture ( I kid you not).  Then
add the lights.  You can either smear the cords with bitter apple or
leave the lower, closer to the ferrets branches unlit.  Then ornaments.
If you have precious, breakable, irreplaceable ones, save yourself some
heartache and keep them packed.  We add bells and wooden ornaments and
otherwise unbreakable ones near the bottom for the kids to play with.
No tinsel.  Expect to hear the musical tinkling of breaking glass balls
in the middle of the night as someone will always get a ball down and en
proceed to bat it around until it breaks.  :-)
 
anne in chicago
[Posted in FML issue 4665]