Well, it happened. After I mentioned in the Christmas tour that we were “keeping our fingers crossed that they are more civilized this year,” the pups proved me wrong. On the very day of the tour, I stepped away for a minute and heard a commotion from the family room. That’s when the unraveling began.
I always set everything up carefully for the holidays, but before Christmas even arrives the ornaments are knocked off the tree, felt woodland creatures are decapitated and stripped of their stuffing, garland comes down from the stairway, and there are two very guilty pups with the evidence tangled in their fur. Today I caught Lily mid-air, launching herself into the tree to grab another little animal. How she finds the ornaments when there are so many toys around is a mystery. Later I saw her tossing a white woodland ornament like a ball. Not okay.
Exhibit A: The Remains of a Woodland Ornament
Exhibit B: Cedar Garland Torn from the Stairway
Evidence: Two Guilty Pups
Update
An Unfortunate Discovery
A quick note on ornaments: these felt and bottle-brush decorations were a great find at West Elm this season. If you bring similar ornaments into a home with pets, keep them well out of reach to avoid a repeat of our experience.
For more reflection on this little holiday meltdown, I also shared thoughts in a post on (in)courage titled “The Gift in the Unraveling.”
Holiday Setbacks Are Part of the Story
We often face setbacks before the holiday actually arrives. It turns out those mishaps make for memorable stories. Here are a few past posts that recount similar moments in our home:
- This is {not} Glamorous – Thanksgiving 2007
- The Unraveling {2011}
- The Garland and Starfish Incident {2011}
Despite the mess, we try to laugh and remember that pets are part of the family—and sometimes they’re the ones who create the most unforgettable holiday memories.