Well I just had to tell you guys. Christmas is a hit at our house. We put up THE TREE ( please add a drum roll here) tonight. There were 6 of our 9 ferrets immediately bounding about underneath...I got an especially low branch tree and wouldn't let them cut any off the bottom....just for the babies....before the tree was even level and steady there was a ferret frolic in progress. We also tied a string to the top of the tree and anchored it to the roof so no falling tree accidents will occur. Wait until they see the lights! My two boys <uhh human children> are stringing Trix , Fruit Loops and Captain Crunch with Crunch Berries as I speak....Kang is using his best 'ferret dog' eyes to acquire berry shaped pieces of cereal...then stashing them under the low branches of the tree...a new stash in the making! I hope they don't claim everything we stash under there<g>....we went out and got cereal for garland....wooden ornaments to paint <with non-toxic paint> and beeswax and candle molds <neat flat candles with lots of cool designs like trees, sleds etc>to make candles for ornaments<not going to be lighted>...I also got some cookie cutters to make healthy cookies to decorate and use for ornaments> also some velvety ribbon to make bows...and last but not least....little candy canes<I figured if I got the small ones they wouldn't eat so much at once>....can you tell this tree has ferrets in mind?:) For Christmas the guys and girls are getting another 25 feet of septic hose<black with ridges> a bunch more T's and Y's. A new 6 holed ferret ball. A few hard rubber nobby jingle balls...two new hammocks....a new pair of toenail clippers....and anything else I can aquire before the eventful day. Oh I am also only buying those big roll type rolls of wrapping paper<did that make any sense?> so they can have them for tunnels as well. I uhhh <sheepish blush> also got them a new puppy for Christmas...she is a Humane Society special...but of course they got her early. They almost have her trained already! Much love and ferret kisses<but no Trix for you silly humans> from the team of nine...oh yeah and me too! Ellie [Posted in FML issue 1405]