Wreath May Be A Belated Gift For Your Dog

By Phran Novelli

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Let your pet sleep on that wreath - well the needles from it anyway.

Christmas wreaths are often made from Balsam fir trees - they drop their needles easily when they dry out, which is annoying when they get in your carpet, but makes it easy for you to harvest enough needles from a wreath or two to fill up some little pillows or fill out pet beds. Put the wreath in a big bag - or even unzip a big pet bed and put the whole wreath inside - just shake and yank until all the needles fall off.

Using the needles to fluff up an older lumpy pet bed, will not only make your doggie or cat more comfortable, it'll make your house smell better too, because Balsam firs have just about the best and longest-lasting smell of all the evergreens.

Over time, that intense aroma will fade a bit, but the needles will still retain enough scent for years to help freshen any room. It's a nice sweet smell that's certainly a big improvement over the odor of doggie dander.