OK, share your Christmas Tree Mishaps Here

[Plaid Adder]

I bet nobody can top mine:

We went and cut down our own tree this year, as we usually do, and this time we got a little more tree than our living room can take, so we had to cut the top down a lot before putting it up. We got it up and put the lights on it and all the ornaments, and then we went to put the angel on the top and there was not enough clearance between the top of the tree and the ceiling, so I got the pruning shears and cut the stem down some more. Then the angel fit but the branches around it were putting her on a funny angle so I went to clip them too.

Made one cut and suddenly all the tree lights went off.

Yes, indeed, I had cut one of the wires. Fortunately I didn't get shocked (rubber handles on the pruning shears, thank you makers of pruning shears everywhere). However, we had to take all the lights off the tree and then buy a new set and put them all back on, after the ornaments had already gone on.

OK, so who else has been an idiot with their tree this year? Come on! Fess up and make me feel less stupid!

C ya,

The Plaid Adder

[China_cat]

1. Not this year

but the last year we had a tree (1984).

Lighted, decorated, no tinsel because of the cats propensity for eating it. Go to the store and come home to find the dog carrying the tree around the house. 6 ft. tree.

Gabriel was so pleased with himself.

Of course, this is also the dog who ate the legs off a coffee table, half a recliner and the rockers from the rocking chair. (Before I learned that the crate -really- IS your friend.)

[Beaverhausen]

2. The year I decided not to anchor the tree to the wall is the year...

...the cat decides to climb it. need I say more?

[yvr girl]

3. We had a tree decorating party one year

There was no mishap during the event but afterward we were looking at the tree from the kitchen as we were cleaning up. We saw the tree begin to tip over. We tried to get there in time, but we were too late. The tree crashed to the ground. We had a borrowed angel on top of the tree that year. It flew off and went across the room and landed on the stairs. I picked it up, and I swear it looked scared. I'm convinced, the expression had changed. We only broke one ornament, but it was one that I'd had since I was a child.

[madison2000]

4. We got a border collie puppy my senior year of college.

We decorated the tree completely and went out for the evening. When we came home the tree looked half bare.
Gone from the tree: the shiny colored ornaments, up to the middle of the tree, the strings of popcorn we had made, from one end to the other, and eight of twelve wooden soldier ornaments. I mean, completely gone, she ate everything. But our puppy seemed content and happy. The vet said to monitor her carefully, and we did, but she never got sick at all!

[cali]

5. Many years ago

a wacky friend of mine dragged me out in the woods on a mysterious get a Christmas tree journey. He wouldn't tell me what the heck he was chortling about as we trekked on our skis deep into the woods. Finally we stopped at a big balsam and he pulled out his pistol and shot the top of the tree off. Yep, he shot and killed a Christmas tree for me.

[katinmn]

6. I struggle with the tree every year

It always wants to fall over no matter how hard I work at it and I usually work myself into a sweat putting it up.

A couple years ago I tied fish line coming from different angles and anchors such as a chair or pole lamp to hold it steady.

People tripped on the lines and it still ending up falling and breaking the only two glass bulbs I had.

Now I just make sure it's in a corner and is blanced to fall into the wall.

[mondo joe]

7. That year I didn't get the Cha Cha heels i wanted I knocked the tree over

That year I didn't get the Cha Cha heels i wanted I knocked the tree over on top of my mother and ran away from home for good!

[youthere]

8. I swear this is true...

We used to have a pet rabbit...and rabbits are notorious nibblers. Christmas Eve we noticed the lights were acting funky and all of a sudden heard a screech. Sure enough the rabbit had been chewing the light strand and got zapped. It didn't kill her-right away. She wobbled around like she was drunk the rest of the night. Christmas morning the kids were surprised to find a dead bunny-their bunny under the Christmas tree. My son was convinced Santa killed his rabbit.

[tinnyguy1777]

9. Never thinking----------------

Our first year married, we (I) put the damm tree in a galvanized bucket, and filled it with water, to "preserve" the tree, and keep it fresh. You know the rest---it got cold, the water froze, the bucket got horribly distorted on the bottom, and we had to cut the tree out, in order to use it. But, its been a good story for many years.