Once we had kids and no spare room, i decided that i couldn't cope with children and cats tumping the tree over on a regular basis, so we quit putting one up at all. No, my children were not deprived. They got to help Grandma and Grandpa decorate their 14-foot tree each year, and when Grandma and Grandpa had a second home not far from here, we would put ours there and i would let them decorate it all by themselves (except the lights, because i didn't want anyone electrocuted).
We haven't had a tree, besides the odd tiny tabletop one that we used to borrow from a friend, for many years.
This year, Little Girl decided she wanted a Charlie Brown tree. She found one that was just sticks, put it in a tin, and put a few odd ornaments on it. How odd? One of them has the name "Gretchen" on it, and no one in this house, now or ever, has had that name.
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| A Charlie Brown Tree. |
To keep the cats from eating it -- yes, really, Link has tried -- we have to put it on top of the fridge.
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| On top of the fridge with the feather duster the cats think is prey. |
It works for us!
Today is:
Christmas Festival in Salvador -- Salvador, Brazil (begins around now, lasts until New Year's Day)
Clean Air Act Day -- US (passed this day 1963; a day to give thanks for the air we breathe)
Cookie Cutter Day
Daniel the Prophet's Day -- Orthodox Catholic Feast Day
Feast of Babalu Aye -- Yoruba/Santeria (celebration of the healer of deadly diseases)
Feast of the Fairy Godmothers -- Fairy Calendar
Hagoita Ichi -- Sensoji Temple, Japan (sale of specially decorated paddles, called hagoita; through the 19th)
Hanukkah -- Judaism (Festival of Lights; begins at sundown, through sundown Dec. 24)
Icelandic Yuletide Lad of the Day, Askasleikir -- Bowl-licker, who hides under the bed and snatches bowls set on the floor to lick them clean
Kasuga Wakamiya Festival -- Nara, Japan (rarely performed traditional dances at a festival held every year since 1136)
National Day -- Bhutan
National Maple Syrup Day
Procession of Agnios Dionysios -- Zakynthos, Greece (one of the biggest festivals of the year, when the relics of this island's patron saint is honored)
Saturnalia begins (through Dec. 23) -- Ancient Roman Calendar (festival for Saturn, the planter god)
Sow Day -- Orkney Islands, Scotland (ritual slaughter of a sow for the Yule feast)
St. Lazarus of Bethany's Day
Take a New Year's Resolution to Stop Smoking -- Tanyrtss, the 25th annual campaign goes through February; make the decision now to improve your life and health next year
Wright Brother's Day -- US
Anniversary Today:
Tiny Tim weds Miss Vicky, 1969
Birthdays Today:
Milla Jovovich, 1975
Duff Goldman, 1974
Sean Patrick Thomas, 1970
Mike Mills, 1958
Bill Pullman, 1954
Wes Studi, 1947
Eugene Levy, 1946
Chris Matthews, 1945
Ernie Hudson, 1945
Bernard Hill, 1944
Tommy Steele, 1936
Bob Guccione, 1930
William Safire, 1929
Willard Frank Libby, 1908
Arthur Fiedler, 1894
John Greenleaf Whittier, 1807
W. L. Mackenzie King, 1874
Joseph Henry, 1797
Deborah Sampson, 1760
William Floyd, 1734
Debuting/Premiering Today:
"The Simpsons"(TV), 1989
Turner Broadcasting System(Cable TV Network), 1976
"El Pessebre"(Casals' Oratorio), 1960
"On The Beach"(Film), 1959
"The Symphony No. 10 in E minor"(Shostakovich Op. 93), 1953
Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy(first radio broadcast), 1936
Today in History:
The Ostrogoths of King Totila conquer Rome by bribing the Byzantine garrison, 546
Sultan Nasir-u Din Mehmud's armies in Delhi are defeated by Timur, 1398
Pope Paul III excommunicates England's King Henry VIII, 1538
Go-Yozei becomes Emperor of Japan, 1586
Shimabara Rebellion: Japanese peasants led by Amakusa Shiro rise against daimyo Matsukura Shigeharu, 1637
Congregation Shearith Israel of NY purchases a lot on Mill Street in lower Manhattan, to build NY's first synagogue, 1728
France recognizes independence of English colonies in America, 1777
Aztec calendar stone discovered in Mexico City, 1790
NYC traffic regulation creates first 1-way street, 1791
Opening of the first legislative assembly of Lower Canada in Quebec city, 1792
The US state of Kentucky abolishes debtors prisons, 1821
General Ulysses S. Grant issues General Order No. 11, expelling Jews from Tennessee, Mississippi, and Kentucky, 1862
First performance of the Unfinished Symphony by Franz Schubert, 1865
Violent riots in Montreal, as workers demand work or bread,1875
France declares Madagascar a protectorate, 1885
George Brownell patents a machine to make paper twine, 1895
A first prize of 100,00 francs offered for communications with extraterrestrialsbut Martians are excluded - considered too easy, 1900
The Wright Brothers make their first successful flights, 1903
First flight of the Douglas DC-3 airplane, 1935
Ventriloquist Edgar Bergen and dummy Charlie McCarthy first appear on TV, 1936
The SALT I talks begin, 1969
Fernando Collor de Mello defeats Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in the second round of the Brazilian presidential election, becoming the first democratically elected President in almost 30 years, 1989
SpaceShipOne flight 11P, piloted by Brian Binnie, makes its first supersonic flight, 2003
Outgoing U.S. Senator Jim DeMint is replaced by GOP Congressman Tim Scott, the first black senator from the South since 1881, 2011
Hey what kind of cats are these, not being able to get to the top of a mere fridge? :) I am glad for you that they do not try. This is a cute and amusing tree idea, very cool!
ReplyDelete(((laughing at JENNYS comment, too)))
ReplyDeleteI say whatever works is a good thing. Cats do what cats do. It's the way of things.
ReplyDeleteHave a terrific day. ☺
too cute - and love the mystery ornaments. :)
ReplyDeleteCharlie Brown trees need love, too! But wouldn't it be sinister if I snuck into your house and sprinkled catnip on it? heheheheeeeee
ReplyDeleteThat little tree might not deserve it, but it's sure getting a lot of love.
ReplyDeleteWell, one of my favorite things is watching cats play with trees, so... I have to commend you and she on putting together your own Charlie Brown tree, though. Very cool.
ReplyDelete