Cat proof your Christmas decorations!

If you own pets, you've probably been faced with "How can I have Christmas decorations, without constantly chasing baubles?". I can offer a fun little pet-proof decorating solution to have some sparkle, which also makes for a simple Christmas craft project, and a cheery seasonal addition even if you don't have pet worries. 

​You've likely seen that I share my life with four feline helpers, and they come in various degrees of "curious about things" through to "downright surprisingly stupid".

In previous years we've managed cats and Christmas by tying the tree to the piano (knock a full upright piano over you little swine!) and giving up on the decoupage baubles and just calling them cat toys now. Zathras is a whole new challenge, full of curiosity, and sometimes shredded Bank statement and a bit of leaf. Won't eat cat treats, will eat carrier bag.

​Here's part of our solution to still having Christmas sparkle, without the cat crapping tinsel

You will need:

• Scissors. 
• Clean glass jars and lids. (no lids? You need material, pencil and elastic bands)
• Short pieces of tinsel, bits of fake greenery, or ecofriendly saved up colourful tissue paper or decorative Sparkly bows saved from last year's Christmas presents. Aka Pretty Bits. 
• Baubles, hanging decorations, freestanding things, colourful Christmassy toys. 
• Blu tack. 

• Optional: Material, pencil, and elastic bands. 
• Optional: Hammer and nail, pile of scrap cardboard. Good sellotape and string or thread.
• Very Optional but pretty: Battery powered fairy lights. 

1. Make sure your glass jars are clean, dry, and buffed. A range of different sizes and shapes can look great together. 

​2. If you have lids missing, or want to hide the jar lids in a more decorative way: Place the mouth of the jar on your chosen material, draw around it, remove the jar and then draw a second larger circle around the first, about 2.5cm wider all round. Cut out the larger circle and save it to one side. ​

3. Pick from these four ways to fill

Decorations

• Decide if you want your jar glass or lid side up, and if you want to cover the lid, start by following the material cutting from step 2.
• Working with the sizes and shapes of your jars, pick a couple of decorations for each jar which complement each other, or one which mainly fills the whole space.
• Pop a decoration in with your preferred side towards the outside of the jar, and use pretty bits as a support behind it.
• For multiple decorations add more of them around the outside and further supporting sparkly detritus in the centre.
• Screw the lid on and if the lid is at the top, add material if you want to. ​

Baubles

• Good with larger jars, and/or smaller baubles. Decide if you want your jar glass or lid up side up, and if you want to cover the lid, start by following the material cutting from step 2.
• Glass side up: Add some baubles to your jar experimenting with size, shape and quantity, remember you'll see the end result upside down to how you're probably filling the jar!
• Coil trimmed short lengths of tinsel into the remaining space, or other pretty bits, screw lid on.
• Lid side up: Coil short lengths of tinsel into the base of the jar, or other pretty bits, Add baubles as above.
• Screw lid on, and if you choose to, secure material over the lid with an elastic band. ​

Hanging decorations

• Be careful with this one, but it can have a great end result!
• Pick a hanging bauble or decoration which fits pleasingly in your chosen jar, with room for it's hanging thread.
• Follow the material cutting from step 2.
• Pierce a hole in the lid of your jar. If you don't have a "workspace" for this kind of thing, layer up plenty of corrugated cardboard on a solid floor (outside is good!) enough for the thickness of the nail you're using. Gently hammer the nail through the lid into the cardboard, and then pull it free.
• With the decoration on the inner side of the lid, pull the decoration's hanging thread through the hole, and tie a length of string or thread to it. Securely tape this thread onto the outside of the lid.
• Fill the bottom of the glass jar with pretty bits, feed the decoration into the jar, screw the lid on, and cover with material. 

Fairy Lights

There are quite a few battery powered led light strings available, and in their own jar, alongside others filled with decorations they enhance the sparkle. Double check instructions on using them in a small space, as some advise on being fully unfurled for use. You can also find lights designed to be used in old drink bottles for a variation in height. 

Spread the joy!

Once you have your jars filled, dot around shelves, create a table centre piece, or group wherever makes you happy.

​Yes, there's a chance your pet may knock the jar to the floor, but be canny in your choice of location AND give added security with a blob or two of Blu tack underneath (depending on the surface you're tacking to) and usually after a couple of attempts where they go "huh this doesn't move" the attention fades away. ​​

​It's not the same as a full Christmas tree, a room sparkling with tinsel or the seasonal sprays of green and red foliage, but these joyful jars can liven up a mantelpiece, create a colourful coffee table or reflect and sparkle if you have fairy lights going. We need all of the little joys we can get in the dark of the year. And no sudden vet bills!