Deck The Halls with Bats and Holly, Falalalala lala la la

Because a good bat-flocker is hard to find...

Sheila Kearns bought her annual pine from Holloway's Christmas Tree, a tree farm south of San Luis Obispo where customers can choose and cut their own tree. Once home she started draping it with lights and felt what she thought were scratches from the pine needles.

The next morning she spotted on her wall what looked like a medium-sized rat covered in white. It turned out to be a bat.

"The poor thing had been flocked because it was in my tree," she said, adding that the bat was probably hungry and exhausted from evading her cat all night, who, when interviewed, has this to say; "Mmmmmm, flocked bat"...

Kearns called animal services who took the bat, which tested negative for rabies. Kearns also discovered that what she thought were pine needle scratches on her wrist, were really puncture wounds from a bat bite. She went to the doctor and got some shots.

Meanwhile, the family-owned tree lot, which has been in business 45-years expressed concerns that this might put them out of business. Carl Holloway, who oversees the operation, said bats are sometimes found in the trees eating insects but that this is the first time one has made it to a customer's home.

"We encourage the bats because they get rid of the bugs, but we don't put them in the trees," he said.


You don't? Well then forget it. If I can't get my bat flocked at your place then I'll just go elsewhere next year! There are plenty of lots that would love to flock my bat! Heck there’s a bat flocking service on every corner! What makes your flocked bats so special???

Ok, I'm done now.

Read on if you haven't had enough.

Flocking bat pictures here.