Renee,
 
I know how you feel.  With the 5 ferrets I had at the time, 3 cats, and a
Great Dane who still had her tail back then, I thought I'd never be able
to have a Christmas tree.  And I'm the type of person who has to have
Christmas decorations.
 
My sister and my dad are handy people to have around when there's a project
to be created.  We got some pegboard (the wood with holes in it to hang
tools) and Dad cut it in the shape of a Christmas tree and painted it dark
green.  He added a heavy-duty nail hook to the back.
 
I bought some pine bough strands - the fake ones that are basically just
long strips of wires with green plastic - like the fake Christmas trees.
I spent an evening cutting the 'branches' off, threading the end through
the peg holes, and bending them flat on both sides.
 
I can still hang heavier ornaments, since the wire hangers also fit in the
peg holes.  I use extra wire hangers to hold the lights in place.  I just
weave it back and forth over the front of the 'tree'.  Once the lights are
on, I hang it on the wall and add the ornaments.
 
No one can get near enough to it to damage anything.  I only have to have
one string of lights (I have extras lights now if anyone needs some <G>),
and all I have to do is take the ornaments off and put the entire thing in
the basement - one string of lights still on and all.
 
Not quite a tree, but as close as I can get.
 
Michel
[Posted in FML issue 2843]