[DEC. 23, 2000]  In the midst of all the holiday hoopla, don't lose sight of the perils the season can hold for your pet. Decorations, electrical cords, holiday greenery, and even gifts and "people food" can pose a hazard to your four-legged friends!

The PetSmart website, http://petsmart.com, is full of useful pet safety information. Here are some of the highlights:

—Electrical cords: Dogs and cats (especially kittens and puppies) may find electrical cords a tempting chew-treat. Secure or cover exposed electrical cords to prevent this danger and unplug them when you're not around.

—Christmas trees: If you have an active dog in the house or a house kitty that likes to climb, make sure the tree is securely anchored to keep it from being knocked or pulled over.

—Greenery: Mistletoe and holly are toxic to pets, especially the berries. Poinsettias are not as toxic but can result in severe stomach upset. Pine needles, if swallowed by a dog or cat, can cause severe intestinal distress or intestinal perforation.

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—People food: The rich treats we indulge in during our holiday celebrations are a big no-no for our pets. Rich foods, especially greasy foods, can give dogs and cats severe gastrointestinal upset or can lead to pancreatitis. Small bones or fragments can cause choking or intestinal blockage. And watch out for chocolate! It contains theobromine, which can be fatal in large doses. Don't leave treats lying around within your pet's reach, for their safety.

Another useful website for pet owners is the National Animal Poison Control Center, http://www.napcc.aspca.org/. This site has detailed information regarding the dangers and toxicity levels of several holiday-related pet hazards, from plants and decorations to gifts and art supplies.

Please take the time to make sure your home is safe for the holidays, for both you and your pets. Merry Christmas!

[Cherie Rankin]

[NOV. 29, 2000]  Just as fashion has changed through the years — from petticoats and corsets to bell-bottoms and platform shoes — so has the trimming of the Christmas tree.

Dale Seggelke, a local interior decorator, said a Christmas tree decorated for her store is much different from the one in her own home. Seggelke and partner Nancy Gooding own Lasting Impressions, a local business specializing in custom window decorating and interior design.

This year, for the first time, they decorated a tree for their store to represent their line of work. Using lots of sheer fabric, tassels and gold netting, they transformed a plain evergreen into a textural delight. The top of the tree is very unusual, according to Seggelke, with a spray of magnolias, gold leaves and branches, making the tree at least two feet taller.

"We put our efforts into the tree at the store," she said, and her tree at home reflects a more personal touch filled with memories.

"At home we use things our children have made through the years and sentimental ornaments. We keep it special for the family rather than trying to make it look like the tree in our store. We use a personal touch at home. When we sit and look at it, we see things we have cherished through the years and have good memories," she said.

Seggelke said there is no right or wrong way to decorate a tree these days.

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"I have never seen such variety in trees before. People are using their imagination. Almost anything goes. Trees can have a theme or can be very modern or old-fashioned. The only limits to tree decorating is your imagination," she said.

Even though sales of artificial trees are on the rise, because of improved quality and affordability, there are always people who want the real deal, and there are plenty of local Christmas tree farms to provide fresh-cut evergreens.

And, according to decorating experts, no matter how you decorate your tree, it’s very important to place the lights correctly. An important mistake many people make in decorating their trees is not using enough lights and putting on lights the wrong way. To correctly light a tree, you must push the lights back toward the trunk and work from the inside back out to the outer branches of the tree. There should be as many lights inside the tree as on the outside to give the tree dimension.

Even though white-flocked trees with blue lights and silver, rotating metal trees may not have yet made a comeback, other hits of the past including pulsating bubble lights and big bulbs from the ’50s are popping up in stores everywhere. Just like with fashion, things always come back in style.

[Penny Zimmerman-Wills]

[NOV. 28, 2000]  Just as fashion has changed through the years — from petticoats and corsets to bell-bottoms and platform shoes — so has the trimming of the Christmas tree.

At the beginning of this century, conifers were adorned simply with clip-on candles lit briefly on Christmas Eve and nature’s ornaments made of dried fruits and berries. Later came electric lights and artificial trees, allowing people to put up their trees earlier with no fear of fire from the candles. Since then, trees have been flocked, draped, wrapped and bejeweled with a mélange of balls, bows and garland.

There’s no evidence that those early ways of trimming a tree will return any time soon, according to local interior designer experts. In fact, when it comes to Christmas trees of today, just about anything goes. The trend these days indicates people are putting up more artificial trees, displaying more than one tree, each with a different theme, and collecting more traditional ornaments.

Lincoln business owner Linda Churchill likes to decorate her tree in the traditional way, with ornaments her kids have made and other treasured items from her past.

"Mine is sentimental. Our tree has ornaments from the past and things we’re collected through the years," she said. "I think it’s a personal preference and what style of home you have."

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Churchill, who owns The Mustard Moon at 1314 Fifth St., said snowmen are very popular this year, as they were last year. Everything from plates to ornaments, jewelry and cookie jars are made in the shape of the beloved chubby snowman. "They were popular last year, but this year snowmen are really big. Everybody is buying them to display year round," she said.

Another hot decorating trend this year is outside lighting, including animated lights and scalloped lights, a new twist on the icicle lights so popular last year. "There is something new every year for people to try out," she said.

The traditional red and green colors most people associate with Christmas have competition from everything from bright metallic to pastels, and white artificial trees are becoming very popular again.

The trend of putting up and decorating more than one tree — even having a tree for each room of the house — remains popular, along with decorating each tree using a different theme.

"That’s another big trend — people are putting up more than one tree so they can decorate each one," Churchill said.

(To be continued)

[Penny Zimmerman-Wills]

[click here for Part 3]

Storing your holiday ornaments

[NOV. 27, 2000]  Since many people are spending a small fortune collecting expensive glass ornaments to dress up their Christmas trees, necessary precautions must be taken to store them properly. According to Country Living magazine, there are three essential steps to storing ornaments: Choose the right box, wrap them properly and find an ideal location at home.

A firm box with compartments or dividers is key to preventing delicate ornaments from hitting each other and breaking. Acid-free corrugated board or other archival materials are the ultimate storage, but divided boxes that glass ornaments are sold in will also work when placed inside a larger box or drawer. Avoid placing ornaments in plastic storage boxes because they prevent airflow and trap moisture inside.

Proper packing materials give cherished collectibles an added buffer. Experts prefer acid-free tissue, Bounty microwave paper towels (the only acid-free paper towels currently on the market) and 100-percent-cotton fabric. Don’t wrap ornaments in plastic bubble wrap or newspaper, which can transfer ink onto smooth surfaces, or cram too many items in a compartment.

Closets in the main living areas of the house are ideal, where temperatures and humidity levels are usually stable. Cupboards, chests of drawers and high shelves are other options. If the basement is the only available storage space, place boxes on high shelves and install a dehumidifier to control moisture.

[Penny Zimmerman-Wills]

How to trim a tree

[NOV. 27, 2000]  According to Christopher Radko, renowned Christmas ornament designer, there are several easy steps to trimming a perfect tree:

 1.  Choose the right tree. Douglas or noble firs have the sturdiest branches, which are the easiest from which to hang ornaments. The best size is one foot taller than the tallest member of the family and one foot shorter than the ceiling.

 2.  Keep it fresh. Trim an inch from the bottom of the trunk and give it at least one gallon of water, replenishing daily. Use hot tap water to enhance circulation. Mix one tablespoon of liquid iron (found at nurseries), two tablespoons liquid corn syrup and one tablespoon chlorine bleach and add to the water.

 3.  Use a sturdy stand.

 4.  Wrap the trunk with tinsel to give the tree an inner sparkle.

 5.  Attach the tree topper.

 6.  Check caps, springs and hooks on ornaments to ensure they are all secure.

 7.  Add ornaments, decorating the top of the tree first and working down, placing the smaller ones at the top and larger ones at the bottom.

 8.  Layer garlands.

 9.  Hang tinsel from branch tips.

10. Last but not least, add a fabric skirt under the tree to hide electrical outlets.

[Penny Zimmerman-Wills]

Animals for adoption

These animals and more are available to good homes from the Logan County Animal Control at 1515 N. Kickapoo, phone 735-3232.

Fees for animal adoption: dogs, $60/male, $65/female; cats, $35/male, $44/female. The fees include neutering and spaying.

Logan County Animal Control's hours of operation:

Sunday  –  closed

Monday  –  8 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Tuesday  –  8 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Wednesday  –  8 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Thursday  –  8 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Friday  –  8 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Saturday  –  closed

Warden: Sheila Farmer
Assistant:  Michelle Mote
In-house veterinarian:  Dr. Lester Thompson

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