Pets and Christmas trees usually don't mix; we know this. But, every year, we deal with the headache that is broken ornaments and un-strung lights because, well, what would the holiday season be without a few headaches? Plus, the cheer usually overrides all of that. While we're used to the dogs and cats of the world getting their jollies on by messing with our meticulously-crafted Christmas trees, we haven't had much experience with...marsupials.
That's right, we're talking about a koala bear.
A family in Adelaide, Australia came home one afternoon to find an unexpected houseguest hanging out -- literally -- with their Christmas tree. The little furball, who was named Daphne during her stay, was captured in a video by 16-year-old Taylah McCormick, who then shared with her TikTok followers.
"The dog went straight to the Christmas tree and was sniffing around, and Mom thought that was a bit weird," McCormick told The Guardian. "There [were] baubles all over the floor, and she looked up and there was a koala in the tree."
(Side note: Can we start exclusively calling ornaments "baubles" here in the U.S.? Thanks.)
The door of the house had been left open for the dog while the family was out, so Daphne could have been enjoying her time with the tree for hours. She had become tangled up in the lights and was trying to eat the pine needles; alas, the tree was artificial.
The family called Adelaide and Hills Koala Rescue, who, despite initially thinking they were being pranked when they heard a koala was strung up in a Christmas tree, helped Daphne make her way safely back to her natural habitat, where she found a more appropriate tree to check out.
"They are curious, and they are in the suburbs, and if they see something that they want to have a look at, they'll just drop in and have a look," Dee Hearne-Hellon, cofounder of the shelter, said.
Fancy that! Daphne just wanted a better look at the big shiny thing in the living room. I get it -- shiny things draw my attention, too.