decorating a tree

I love the whole procedure of selecting and decorating a Christmas tree.  The local fire station here in Eldorado gets proceeds from the ones sold locally: I went and picked out a little one two days ago, and decorated it today.  Only ... cats and trees don't really go together in our house, so it stands on the patio table, underneath the portales to keep it dry, and also so it offers (an unintended use, but a regular one) a haven to finches and other small birds at night.  By now, many of the ornaments are gnarled and cracked from frost.  Obviously, I don't put glass ones outside, and there are lots of little Mexican tin pieces, but where there's glazed paint, the signs of the passing years are starting to show.