Update on Emmy (who fell into the bath). After spending the day in her favorite bed in the sun next to the window in the back porch, Emmy was finally all dry, and so needed combing. I combed her all over, to her annoyance, but then she was fluffy and gorgeous! Of course, when our guests came she and her 2 sisters were banished to the back porch. Our 6 year old great nephew kept coming into the kitchen to look at the kitties through the window. ...well, of course somehow mysteriously Emmy got out of the back porch, and was suddenly running through the living room. I chased her and caught her, with my niece meanwhile running to the other side of the room (she really is severely allergic) and everyone up and startled. Emmy was put back in the back porch (which is walled and glassed in), and it was a struggle, because both of her sisters thought this was a good opportunity for them to escape also. Funny, they sit or lie out there voluntarily all of the time, but being forced to be there is, of course, for cats, unacceptable. When everyone had left at 11PM and I opened the door to let them out, all three of them ran out as fast as they could (usually they are not at all that active!), so I almost tripped over them, and ran into the living room to see what they had missed, and Emmy got under the Christmas tree and started chewing and playing with various ribbons on the packages - cats are always amusing, and keep me laughing all of the time! Jackie

Good observation, Serendipity. It does seem to be instructions for wrapping a cat doesn't it? LOL. I locked myself in the laundry room to wrap some gifts today, and had to listen to the "Orange Tornado" yowl and rattle the door cause I was doing something without his help. He didn't think that was acceptable. Jazz is a good cat tho, saves me lots of money on cat toys. I don't have to buy any, his two favorites are a straw and an ice cube. Both of which he loves to bat around the kitchen floor. He's easily amused. But then, so am I. hugs, Karen

1. Send as many e-cards as possible. There are some really cute interactive ones that are great for families with small kids. I make copies of an old family photo to send to all the adult nieces/nephews and our siblings. I send it in a Christmas/Holiday photo card. That's their gift from us. Over the years I've sent out all the ancestoral grand-, great-grand parents, etc. going back several generations, along with information about the subject/s in the photo. 2. Get the end-of-the roll newsprint (paper used for newspapers) from your local newspaper (free/cheap) and use it for gift wrap. I tie them with inexpensive twine, rather than expensive ribbon/bows for a country/rustic look. Have the kids decorate the paper if you need a craft project for them. 3. I also make my own gift bags. You can make them any size you need using most kinds of sturdy paper. The trick is finding a box the size you need to use as the form to make them. HOW TO: A. Using a large box that cereal came in, take your paper and wrap the cereal box - all but the top (try to make the seam at the back of the bag, not the side). DO NOT stick anything TO the box - it's just a form. B. Use a glue stick and/or double stick tape at the seams and bottom. C. Leave the top of the box you are using as a form open so that you can reach in and have something to hold onto when you pull the box out of the bag. D. Finish the bag by cutting the top edge (if it needs evened out) - you can use fancy cut scissors or pinking shears, if you have some. Fold the top edge into the inside and glue down using a glue stick. You can fold it over twice if you are going to attach ties/handles. E. You can add ties/handles using twine, ribbon, yarn, etc. by using a hole punch and making 4 holes (two on each of the long sides) about 3-4-inches apart and thread the twine, ribbon, yarn, etc. through the holes to secure the top closed. F. Crease the sides in the center to resemble a regular paper gift bag. 4. Another easy gift bag can be made out of brown paper lunch bags (you can also find them in colors or out of decorative paper). Secure the top by folding over 2-inches or so, punch two holes through all layers of the folded down area, and secure with twine, ribbon, yarn, etc. You can decorate these with all kinds of things, or leave them plain. We set a $10 gift limit for immediate family (kids/grandkid), but spend more on them for their birthdays. It's easier to budget this way. Hubby and I exchange one $1 gift from the Dollar Store. That's actually turned out to be a lot of fun... -Grainlady

our cat doesn't climb it but LOVES to smell it when it comes in from the outdoors. he smells it and walks away, every year!! (he's 10)...he is pretty good., doesn't bother the ornaments but i can't put the tree skirt down or the nativity b/c he hides behind the tree and then flies out and runs up the steps and then flies back down the steps and around the tree, his version of "laps"... ... we had to put our dog down this summer, so he won't be stalking her from under the tree...he would get in the corner behind the tree and then run out and "bop" her and then take off. she would be like "what the heck just happened"...we would just laugh., going to miss that this year :(.... they were watching my husband mow the lawn!!!