canceling yule

Or at least, canceling the tree part. We have an old artificial tall and skinny tree. It's probably got mold or whatever it is artificial trees acquire over time. One hears one is supposed to replace them every 5 years, but one suspects the source of that recommendation is the artificial tree industry. This one, acquired for its lean silhouette, is not the most stable thing ever. Louhi, at a petite 9 months, managed to pull it over five years ago. That apartment was bigger, and the tree did no damage, and took no damage, and Louhi did not repeat the experience, having scared herself into better sense. She is most interested in pulling one, maybe two, ornaments off the tree and leaving them in conspicuous locations for us to find. No chewing, no destruction, just judicious ornament pruning.

Anyway, we've been contemplating the demise of that tree for awhile. We hadn't found a new tree we liked, and this apartment is small enough that the tall skinny tree was the best fit of any others. Then, this year I found an article about artificials vs. fresh cuts from a green perspective. Live cuts recycle. Artificials feed the landfills; they're are only greener if you keep them for a dozen years.  I admit, I've resisted cut trees for years because it seemed to me that there was more waste in cut trees, but show me the science and I'll revise my  treehugger response accordingly. I have no particular sentiment for plastic or live trees. It's all about the lights, for me, and the evergreen symbolism.

Anyway, we planned to keep this one until we move again, and then start with cut trees. Except, kitten.

I think tree vs. Idris will result in no winners and a prostrate tree, with Idris convinced that he needs to try that again. I am trying to think of alternatives--little live rosemary plants (but the kitchen table is in a dark corner), tiny fresh-cut trees (at least, when they fall, they will not take out the living room), or a garland wrapped around the wrought iron sun/moon floor-stand candelabra, which looks all solstice-y and offers places to hang stockings above kitten heads, with the added benefit of being unclimbable and fairly stable. Maybe a combination of the first and last. Bah. I don't know.

First world problems, right here.