My dad has always had an on-going competition for the best-looking live tree with my sister. One year, the tree he cut just wouldn't drink water - and by Christmas Day (when my sister and her family would arrive) was pretty brittle to say the least. Just prior to their arrival on Christmas, the kids were playing with the dog around the tree and the dog inadvertently brushed into the tree, sending most of the needles to the ground. Needless to say, my sister won the competition that year and the tree went out with the garbage immediately after the Christmas holiday.
R.K. - Bath, Ohio