Did you read that right? Yes, you did. That’s right, one North Carolina family got the Christmas surprise of their life when a squirrel decided to hang out in their home. Not only did the squirrel hang out, but it seems he may have played a little game of hide and seek in their Christmas tree. WBTV reports that a North Carolina family shared a video of a squirrel playing around in their Christmas tree. Apparently, the squirrel entered the family’s Waxhaw home through a loose shingle in the roof. Which, if you have any loose shingles in your home then maybe you should cover that up soon. The squirrel came through the roof, climbed through an opening in a sink pipe, and entered a bathroom in the home.

Unfortunately for the squirrel, the home he entered is also the home of one pet dog. The dog then chases the squirrel throughout the home until it found its perfect hiding spot in the Christmas tree. After a lot of encouraging and rushing to get the squirrel out, the homeowner uses a dust mop to give the squirrel an extra boost out of the home. Talk about a crazy Christmas story. This may be one memory that this family has to talk about for a long time!

Fires start very easily during the holidays. During the holiday season, people often forget about safety at home, which leads GTSE to create a guide on how to make sure the whole family is safe and the house is not damaged, from protecting walls from damage by decorations to ensuring the dog doesn’t get poisoned by harmful products.

Using their expert knowledge on cable ties, widespread research, and speaking with Lindsay Arliss, Dog Behaviour and Training Specialist at Wood Green, GTSE.co.uk compiled six tips to avoid damage when decking the halls this Christmas. You can see these 6 essential hacks below.

There are many reasons why people start Christmas fires during the holiday season. High-voltage Christmas lights are one of the most common causes. Make sure to water your tree(s) over the holiday period and use a water spritzer to spray the leaves.

A post shared by Andrea (@moje.bile.doma)

You should choose decorations carefully if you have a dog since most plastic or metal items can be harmful if consumed. Christmas decorations to avoid include:

A post shared by Little Kabuki's Grooming (@littlekabukisgrooming)

Use cable ties and clips to avoid damaging your walls. Over the festive period, you’ll likely be hanging seasonal decorations around the home. But it’s important to use tools that don’t damage your walls in the process. Instead, try and use the following:

A post shared by MakeTodayMagicPhotography (@maketodaymagicphotography)

Placing your tree on top of a sturdy piece of plywood. If you have hardwood flooring, place a non-skid mat underneath your Christmas tree stand (to avoid scratching).

A post shared by Christmas Elves (@christmas_elves_)

Your Christmas cards can be hung on the walls as part of your Christmas decorating. In this case, you will have to use a lot of tacks, which can leave marks on your walls and surfaces. Use ribbons instead of hooks to hang up your Christmas cards. In this way, you won’t have to wash down tack in the new year! You can instead:

A post shared by Stacey Halstead (@florissimodesign)

It is likely that there will be spills at Christmas dinner, especially when gravy is involved. Once you’ve mopped up as much gravy as possible, address the remaining staining as follows:

A post shared by ??? ? ?????????? ??????? (@thegeelife)

Download the app to LISTEN LIVE wherever you are and connect with us like never before!

Don't miss on pre-sales, member-only contests and member only events.