Oh kit-mas tree


Every year we buy new decorations for the tree, but fewer old favourites are coming out this year. Why? I wonder...

Yup, thanks to the urchins we're only putting unbreakable baubles on the tree this year. Little toerags. In their world everything is either a toy, or food, or food that can be played with. Well, they're not getting their paws on my old family baubles, nor my robots or porcelain reindeer. I love my baubles, but kittens will be kittens, and it's stupid to welcome an animal into your home and then expect them not to act like an animal. Given how many things they've found to play with (what is their obsession with Zensect balls?) on top of the mountain of toys we've bought them, we knew they'd make a beeline for the Christmas tree.
We had a lot of unbreakable decorations already, from little wooden bears to laser-cut ones made by my friend Andy to corn dollies and wooden German characters. We bolstered them with a cheapo box from Sainsbury's and some lovely Indian-made ones from 'Bollywood Christmas' at Bath Christmas market. I don't really like the idea of co-ordinated Christmas trees, nor buying lots of decorations at once (Christmas decorations should be built up over a lifetime, in my opinion, and trees covered with happy memories) but I'd rather buy a box of plastic ones than have the kittens trash something irreplaceable. I've also got some plastic toadstools wired onto the ends of some branches – a family tradition we picked up when we lived in Germany when I was tiny (Air Force family) and we've had to move those as Ziggy has been chewing them.
Something that hadn't been announced when I did my pick of the Christmas TV: Food Network is airing a Fanny Cradock double bill at noon on the 22nd. Who doesn't love a bit of Fanny for Christmas, eh? Don't forget your green and blue food colouring, or your ballgown.
Anyway, it's the final push at work; we're hoping to have sent the magazine by Friday, so I won't be seeing much of tree or kittens this week. At least they'll have Mr Robot for company – I'll probably get home each night to find the three of them in a heap on the sofa, all snoozing together.

All photos are copyright PP Gettins, by the way. (That's Mr Robot's actual name...)

Comments

  1. Oh my, that first photo! That squishable little face!

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    1. I love her crossed eyes. The more fighty/playful she is, the more crossed they get! Though she is the more intelligent one of the two, she's alarmingly bright. Ziggy is a bit of a spud, but very pretty.

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  2. What beautiful photos. Your cats are adorable. We still haven't unpacked the tree but when we do I am sure that it will also get an extra furry ornament. It must be so exciting for them. Still I would forgive them anything they are so cute. Xx

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  3. I saw something recently about outwitting cats by hanging the tree upside-down, but I suspect that wouldn't deter those two!

    A Fanny Cradock special! She's my idol. How she never set herself alight with all those crazy sleeves on the gowns, I'll never know but I still go to YouTube to watch the old episodes. Sometimes I make Danny watch just to watch the look on his face. I have yet to make a mincemeat omelette, but she does make it sound intriguing.

    Fanny was just ahead of her time-now it is downright fashionable to insult people's cooking. It is a genuine pity she didn't live until the reality-T.V. era-Ramsey's got nothin' on Cradock.

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    1. It would fox Ziggy, he's not especially brave or bright, but Pippin would handle it. I expect she's going to be the terror of the neighbourhood when we let her out. And we'll probably spend a lot of time getting her out of trees.

      Do you ever read Keep Calm and Fanny On? She's working her way through the meatless parts of Fanny's course. http://keepcalmandfannyon.blogspot.co.uk
      And she has nothing good to say about the mincemeat omelette...

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    2. I never heard of her-thank you!

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  4. Those kittens! I love them. They look so naughty and you're right, that's what pets do so you may as well just let them loose and have fun.
    Liking the sound of the Bollywood baubles. I'd have them up all year round. xxx

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    1. I have certain Halloween things up all year round... My dad got me a lawn ghost, but I'm not sure how frost proof it is, so it lives in the house.

      We have a great time watching the kittens in and around the tree. They're so pleased with themselves when they manage to detach a bauble. I've no idea where my felted toadstool is; Ziggy legged it with that one last night.

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  5. Awww, you re putting the cute in Christmas this year, sweet Mim. Thank you for the festive, fabulously adorable post.

    Joyful Christmas countdown wishes,
    ♥ Jessica

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    1. Everyone deserves cute at Christmas. I've been videoing them constantly - my workmates must be sick of the pictures.

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  6. I'm quite looking forward to the year when I have to rethink my decorations because of little furry ones. Not for me yet, but one day... It would be quite the milestone :)

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  7. Gorgeous photos! I'm hoping our cats are too old for bauble-batting and tree-diving this year... xxx

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  8. Hello Mim.
    Your words are the continuation of my thoughts. :)
    1. Christmas decorations should be built up over a lifetime. Something about "bulk buying" of the ornaments and decorations that makes Christmas feel less joyful. I am one of those sorry folks who moved home, and my decor is now window oriented (that reminds me to snap a photo of it); the other parts of home will have to wait their turn.
    2. When decorating one must pay attention on more things, not just the matter of "oooh, I like this". I like flashing lights, but putting them in my window would endanger the road traffic next to my home - it's far from a tranquil zone, and lights might cause a distraction to one of many truck drivers.. I don't want to test their reflexes.
    ..also: when you (me, anyone!) brings an animal in our home, in our yard and our lives.. there IS a reason why there's so many books on the subject. Life changes. Things get broken. Things get chewed. There are barks in the night. Flowers get dug-up.. it is normal. :)

    Many hugs.
    (I am sending my card to you, so it might be late - my excuse: I had to wait for the book-store to get their supply - since I live in such a place)... :)

    M.

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  9. Those kittens are adorable, I think I'd forgive them anything šŸ˜ø My old cat once pooed underneath my tree. Not quite so charming! Xxx

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    1. We'd definitely notice if the kittens did that, they STINK!

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