Keep Pets Out of Your Christmas Tree

It really is Wednesday, in case you were wondering. Normally on Wednesday you’d be reading something about our homeschool in this space.
Just like on a normal Tuesday, you’d have read a recipe.
Clearly, I’m not normal right now.
With all the moving out and then moving back in and construction chaos going on around here, we haven’t gone far beyond the basics in either meals or educational pursuits.
Know what we have been doing this week though?
Christmas decorating!
We may not have baseboards.
We may not have flooring.
Heck, one of our bathrooms doesn’t even have a toilet, but we have got a tree!
Only one problem:
Pepper
I did what I usually do when I encounter a problem. I asked my friend google.
There were several suggestions. None were all that helpful.

Get a tiny tree and put it on a table. I can just see it: Christmas morning we each pull up a chair and gather ’round the tiny tree.
Newt, take your elbows off the table while you open that gift!

Put your tree in a playpen. Remember, even contained in a playpen, your tree could still injure itself. It might try to climb out, fall, and break its limbs. Never leave a young tree unattended.

Forget the tree and just make a tree shaped outline on the wall with ribbon or lights. Great idea. While you’re at it, go ahead and make present shaped outlines on the floor and food shaped outlines on the table. All the fun of the real thing with no mess or hassle!

Hang your tree upside down from the ceiling. Wha-? How is that even possible?

Okay, so the internets didn’t have a great solution, but it did get me thinking. What I needed was a fence of some sort. I imagined putting a fence around my tree; what kind would I use?
Chicken wire? Too rural.
Chain link? Too urban.
Privacy fence? Too expensive. Too tall . Too, uh, private.
Picket fence? Hmmm… cute, inexpensive, easy to work with – I like it.
I bought a roll of wired picket fence in the garden center at Lowes for under $20. Walt and I circled it around the tree and zip tied the end pickets together.
Here is the result:
Tree Fence

I think it looks pretty good. Far better than a giant evergreen stalactite.
So far it seems to be working. Pepper has sniffed at it, but has not attempted any sort of breach. The tree, ornaments and presents are all safe.
I might have to get another roll of picket fence for my shoes.
Tree Fence

17 Comments

  1. Love it! I will have to try it next year with my dog. Since we are not going to be home for Christmas I can’t try it this year. Thanks for the great information.

    Reply
    • Thanks, Julie! I hope you are going somewhere fun.

      Reply
  2. Thanks, Julie! I hope you are going somewhere fun.

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  3. that does look nice! wish i had a dog… =]
    hesthermay

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    • Thanks. Dogs are fun, but a lot of work. Right now, Pepper seems like she is trying to climb on my head while I struggle to contain her and type with one hand…

      Reply
  4. Funny post!! The picket fence looks much better than chicken wire! 😉

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    • Thanks Candy. I think it looks better too. And less pokey.

      Reply
  5. very cute! but i don’t think that will work for my kitten……….you could babysit him for a bit and see……..

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    • I think I’m allergic to cats; they make me break out in dislike. (Though your sweet, widdle, baby kitty did make me want to talk baby-talk to him. But now that he’s all better and becoming a cat… Sorry.)

      Reply
  6. Great idea and it is cute! Allie leaves the tree alone but she drinks all the water from the stand.

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    • Pepper was doing that until we put the fence up. But now that it’s up, watering won’t be easy. Oh well, I always forget to water the tree anyway…

      Reply
  7. This post is cracking me up!! Awesome photos. I like the fence, kind of makes your tree look like an important exhibit in a museum.

    Reply
    • Ooh, I like that. Maybe I need to hook up an alarm that will go off if anyone puts their hand over.

      Reply
  8. Wow! I would say that this problem created a happy situation. That fence is adorable.

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    • Thanks Melissa. I love it.
      However, it doesn’t solve the new problem of Pepper looking through the slats, seeing a tiny dog reflected in shiny ornaments and barking her head off.
      Silly puppy.

      Reply
  9. Brilliant idea girl !! My grandson has moved back in with us…so I have been trying to get ideas to try and save the tree lol He is 1 1/2.

    Reply
    • Glad you liked it!

      Reply

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