Last year we put it up 2.5 - 3 weeks before Christmas, which turned out to be a bad idea. It was very dry by Christmas AND our two kittens had all that time to knock countless ornaments down.

This year, I don't want to put it up until around the 17th or 18th. ESPECIALLY since we have FOUR cats now, two of which have never seen a tree inside before and both of which are bratty little bad girls. PLUS we get real trees and if I haven't had the baby yet, I can't imagine trying to get down on the floor and water it being that close to giving birth. So we'll see. I actually brought up not having one to Josh this year but he nixed that idea right then and there. Of course he wants a tree - *I'll* be the one taking care of it!! He just gets to enjoy how it looks and smells!