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Image description:
From the National Archives:

Truman’s Snowman
Christmas ornament that hung on Margaret Truman’s first Christmas tree in 1924.  According to Margaret, this ornament was used year after year – along the way, this snowman lost his pipe.

Image description:

From the National Archives:

Truman’s Snowman

Christmas ornament that hung on Margaret Truman’s first Christmas tree in 1924.  According to Margaret, this ornament was used year after year – along the way, this snowman lost his pipe.

We hope our holiday tips help you celebrate within your budget, keep your family safe, protect the environment and more! If you’re celebrating with kids, make sure to check out the holiday tips from Kids.gov.

Have a Pet-Safe Holiday Season

Make sure that everyone gets to enjoy the holiday season by keeping the four-legged members of your family safe this December. It’s easy to get distracted at this time of year, so if you have pets, try to keep these ideas in mind:

  • Avoid tinsel and clean up strings and ribbon right away. Swallowed decorations can seriously damage internal organs, leading to a painful and dangerous situation.
  • Display and dispose of holiday plants safely. Poinsettias, mistletoe, and holly are toxic to cats, dogs, and horses, leading to bad gastrointestinal upset if eaten.
  • Be careful with pet treats. Your lucky dog probably loves his biscuits, rawhides, or jerky sticks, but if he eats them whole - or too many at once - he may not be able to digest them. Unchewed treats can get stuck in the windpipe or gastrointestinal tract.
  • Human food. Don’t feed your cat or dog people food. Food with bones (choking), chocolate, or xylitol (both toxic) can hurt your pet right away. Fatty holiday people foods can cause the painful and life-threatening disease pancreatitis in the long term.

Learn more about keeping your pet holiday-safe with this publication from the Food and Drug Administration.

Sometimes the greatest gift you can give is service. Find volunteer opportunities in your area from Serve.gov.