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AIBU?

Decorations with or without kids?

48 replies

Obie4 · 27/11/2017 12:36

Our decorations will go up on the 8th. After dds birthday. We have always done this as a family. But our kid count has grown, so, thinking it would be a little crazy with all the kids, I dropped into conversation with dh that I might do it while kids are in bed, or at least the youngest 2. He wasn't happy. My sil does it while hers are at school and said it's a lot easier, and loves seeing there faces when they come home.
I know it will be great with there excitement but with the smallest who are both 2yo (one about to turn 3) and a 6yo and 13yo I'm sure it will be hectic.
Dh always does outside while we do inside so he doesn't see all the exited craziness.
I do love it, and i suppose I would miss the fun of it all and there faces, and feel mean for thinking about not doing it with them, but dreading it at the same time.
So what do you all do about yours and your kids?

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MrsHathaway · 27/11/2017 12:38

We all do it together and take lots of photos.

And then when they've gone to bed I do it properly. Not redo it, but tidying up the edges and rebalancing so there aren't 58 baubles on one branch and nothing on the whole of the left side. Any crucial things (eg PFB putting his most recent creation front and centre) gets left where it is.

Isn't that what everyone does?

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scurryfunge · 27/11/2017 12:39

I think it would be a bit mean doing it without them. It's part of the fun for children. Just rearrange the decorations to your liking when they're in bed.

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IHATEPeppaPig · 27/11/2017 12:41

I am not involving my toddler, no way, never ever..,.

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Justtrying · 27/11/2017 12:41

Dd, 6, has an inset day next Monday so we will putting the tree up then. We will do it together and then once she is in school on Tuesday I will reorganise the tree to balance it out. The rest of the decorations will also go up whilst she is at school.

Fun to do it together but the tree will be multicoloured and very tinselled. Not a pristine themed tree but for us Christmas is all about family fun.

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toriatoriatoria · 27/11/2017 12:42

I think try it this year and see how it goes. I'm sure they'll love walking in and finding it all Christmas-y but if they don't you can swap it back to the previous way next year.

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buttwingsham · 27/11/2017 12:43

I I've got four dc and yes it's crazy and someone usually ends up crying but no way could I do it without them.
I find a few glasses of mulled wine helps me care less that one branch has every single bauble we own on it and the rest of the tree is usually naked.

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NeverUseThisName · 27/11/2017 12:46

We do a mixture of with kids and without, and don't try to get it all done in one session, so everyone can join in or not as they choose.

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PosiePootlePerkins · 27/11/2017 12:57

2 trees here. One is my OCD matchy matchy tree, no one is allowed to touch it apart from me! The other is for my two DS to put all their crap decorations on. It hurts my eyes but at least it is in the kitchen out of sight Grin

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Fizzyknickers · 27/11/2017 13:00

I put my tree up, as in just the tree, when the kids are in bed. Then they decorate it the next day.

Otherwise it takes too long and ends up with someone crying and kicking off 🙄

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LookAtMyRingsMyRingsMyRings · 27/11/2017 13:01

We do all the tinsel etc when they are in bed and then we build the tree and decorate that and do the first light switch on as a family. They also dress the mantle boughs which i put up the night before. A good balance of getting stuff done, kids not wrecking it all etc and having them involved. (we have 4 DC under 8)

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Glumglowworm · 27/11/2017 13:05

I'd put the tree up while the kids are in bed, and maybe put the lights on it, but still let them decorate.

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Obie4 · 27/11/2017 13:07

Haha I get the RE organising idea. Last year the kids put everything on the front of the tree, in height order so top middle and bottom were all full from the added competition going on between the older two. We all sat there that evening before i had had chance to RE organise and the tree tipped forward and snapped a leg. Front heavy I assume Wink.
The next day we brought a new tree and started all Again!!!
Good idea about just putting the tree up and other decorations while kids are in bed and letting them lose with tree decorating the next day. Would save a few arguments.
And the wine is a great idea!! Grin

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Dustysparrow · 27/11/2017 13:16

My DD would never speak to me again if I decorated the tree (or anything else) without her. It would be seen as an unforgivable and unforgettable act of unspeakable wickedness that would be brought up repeatedly in every argument for years to come.

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Dustysparrow · 27/11/2017 13:18

In fact she would probably be on mumsnet in 20 years complaining about the year her cruel mother put up the Christmas decorations without her and ruined Christmas forever.

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RoomOfRequirement · 27/11/2017 13:24

On the opposite side, when I was young the 'Christmas Fairy' would come overnight and put the tree and all the decorations up. And I loved it. Walking downstairs in the morning to a Winter Wonderland always seemed so much more magical than doing it ourselves. I now know my parents did this to avoid stress, but I wouldn't have changed anything and don't feel I've missed out by not decorating the tree when I was young. Even as an adult, I decorate the upstairs but DH does the main tree and downstairs and I love going to see it after work.

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KC225 · 27/11/2017 13:29

WiTH. Come on its Christmas. I think it importanr they get involved in all the bits. My twins build our three cats a cardboard house (the cats love a box) and sprinkle it with cosmic cat (crack grade catnip) for Christmas morning as a 'surprise'. They decorate the house, and I deal with the tinsely poo and paw slapped baubles. Kids and cats, no White Company Catalogue Christmas for me......... YET.

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Snotato · 27/11/2017 13:46

I normally put up the tree and spread the branches while the kids are in bed,and wind the fairy lights around the tree.
Then when they wake up,they get to put tinsel and baubles on it.

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Katedotness1963 · 27/11/2017 14:13

We had a second, small, fake tree when the boys were little. And a box of hard wearing kids friendly decorations. They were happy and it kept them away from the decorations I've been collecting for years. We decided to do that when the youngest was 2/3 and, upon seeing the decorated tree, squealed "Ooooh! Wrecking balls!!" And promptly broke about half a dozen "wrecking balls"...

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nokidshere · 27/11/2017 14:56

I used to do everything except the tree when the boys were in bed, then I got up early to switch everything on before they came downstairs in the morning - they loved it.

Then they would decorate the tree Smile

Now they are 16 & 18 and going 'do we really need decorations up' Shock

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BuggerLumpsAnnoyed · 27/11/2017 14:59

I have a 6 year old and 2 year old. Will do it on sat while 2 year old naps. 6 year old DS decorates trees beautifully. Far better than I could do. He actually follows me around tidying after me Blush

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NovemberWitch · 27/11/2017 15:16

Dusty, the only time my daughter has been absent from decorating the tree was when she was out partying! Up until being around 21, she felt the same as your daughter. :) Our decorations have evolved over the years due to active participation of all members. To begin with, they were wood, straw and fabric. But yes, children and I have always done the tree together. Except DS has now taken over the lights as he’s the tallest.

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stuckfornames · 27/11/2017 16:14

I put the tree, tinsel and lights up myself.. then let them put all the decorations on the tree.

I obviously rearrange a little once they're in bed.

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EB123 · 27/11/2017 16:18

The tree goes up while they are in bed and then the next morning we decorate it together with cheesy Christmas music on.

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KnightsOfCydonia · 27/11/2017 16:27

I put my tree up, fluff the branches and put on the lights after kids go to bed on 31st November and leave all the decorations in boxes in front so when kids get up in the morning it looks like the elf on the shelf brought the decorations out and set the kids a task to decorate it.
It means that the kids get to help decorate without me getting stressed with them when they're getting impatient with me while I'm trying to do the boring bits.

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blibblibs · 27/11/2017 16:28

I do the tree myself while the DC are either out with DP or at school.
They've done it once when I just wasn't feeling it and they were desperate to get it done. But they told me I'd have to fix it for them and they've never asked to do it again. They do have their own tree each though and they enjoy decorating that themselves.

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