How do I remove sinister Santa outfit from a cactus?

[YesitsBess]

My lovely sister got this little darling thing for my teenage son for Christmas. He loves it, as do I. However having gone way past 12th night we would now like to update his wardrobe/allow him to go 'au natural'.

Also he looks quite menacing and the other plants are a bit scared.

I've tried gently pulling the hat, no joy. I've tried tweezers on the grumpy eyes, I ended up with my other hand covered in prickles.

It is not glued on or secured by any other method I can see. Does anyone have any intimate knowledge on how to disrobe a festive novelty cactus?

Thanking you in advance.

Two sets of tweezers not one, you use one to hold one to strip santa

It's probably glued on so you might have to snip a spine or two

I don't possess two sets of tweezers. Hmmmm. What will pass for tweezers in an emergency such as this?

Can you cut the spines? I'm worried about upsetting him further. He already seems quite cross.

Kitchen tongs?

Scissors held very carefully can pass for tweezers. Or are you any good with chopsticks? Maybe a fork?

I do not have tongs. Let me assess the chopstick situation...

I’ve no idea but just came out to say what a fabulous thread title that is 😂

@GettingThereCharleyBear your moral support is appreciated and noted.

It definitely doesn't feel like something one gets to write very often but I think it sets the scene. 😁

He's so cute and will be glad to get some air about his bits 🤣
Is that little baby cacti at the base? X

@WoofWoofBeachLife Lord I hope so or I'm going to have to fashion him some underpants...

😂

Can you run a set of nail scissors up the prickle-channels and just cut the fuck out of sinister Santa and then peel/tweezer off his shredded remnants?

*technical term

It’s quite strong glue as I damaged my poor cactus trying to de Santa him. It’s nearly Christmas so maybe hide him behind another till it’s decent for him to appear again 😀

God damn you stupid arse Mumsnet asterisks and bolding function

Cut the top of the hat off with scissors and then work your way down?

Omg I’m crying 😂

I do not have nail scissors. I only have fabric scissors and feel that even if I didn't tell her explicitly that I'd used them to cut Santa cactus spines, my mother would feel a disturbance in the force and have me hunted down and shot. Currently, my arsenal is thus:

1. Small Swiss Army knife
2. Balloon whisk
3. Garlic press
4. Poseable Where the Wild Things are Goatboy figurine.

I have baby oil. Will baby oil help or hinder? I feel like nobody needs an angry greased Santa Cactus.

Poke something like a chopstick, knitting needle, or even handle of a spoon between the cactus and Santa, from the bottom . If you can run it round the cactus you’ll know if it’s glued, then push up and hopefully lift sinister Santa off.
If it stuck tight I think you’ll have to cut the fabric from the top down and hopefully unwrap it from the cactus.

I want to do that. I do.

But it's become a thing.

Baby oil will not help.

May have to use Swiss Army knife.

My ideal outcome is he has a full wardrobe for all seasons so am going to see if I can winkle the hat off unscathed.

This has brightened up my evening 😆
Try holding him with an oven glove, it’s what the house plant people on IG do, although I don’t have a cactus so have never tried it!

You say that with the certainty of someone who has learned this the hard way.

Cut the red bit off and refashion the rim into bunny ears for spring?

Dip him in petrol and set fire to him.

Sounds drastic but it's the only way. Can you post a live video on Mumsnet? If not I suppose photos will have to do. Sigh.

Cactus and baby oil in the same sentence does not conjure up a comfortable image.