I was just thinking about this whole thing yesterday. I don't know what I'm going to do. We have 2 brand new puppies, just turned 4 months old. They are chihuahua and pug mix. They are little tiny Tasmanian devils and already tear up everything they happen to find. ("WTF???? Where did you get that??? I know I put that up in a box in the top of the closet?") I can't even begin to imagine where I will put a tree, unless I put chicken wire and barbed wire around it.
This topic does bring up a favorite family memory. It was never really Christmas until we saw the Giant Flaming Inflatable Lawn Penis all lit up about a mile from here. One of those families who apparently has stock in or owns a giant inflatable shit store because they have at least 8-10 out for every single holiday. Valentines, Easter, July 4th, Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Probably some I didn't think of also. Anyway, for several years running they had this thing that I only ever noticed at night for the longest time. I can't find the picture I took one year, but trust me... it was bright red, had, um, a globe shape at the base and then a, um, staff that was kinda pointed at the top. I took to calling it the Giant Flaming Inflatable Lawn Penis. My younger son was, like, 12 at the time and was mortified when I actually stopped and took a picture one time. Finally saw it in the day time and it was apparently a carousel with little animals riding on reindeer. Only, the only part that lit up at night was the base and staff.
They must have finally actually looked at it one night, or someone told them, because they took it down a few years ago.
What a great memory, though.