to wonder how you have a Christmas tree AND toddlers

[PrettyHairClips]

My toddler has just pulled the xmas tree down for a third time (and broken numerous ornaments in the process). I didn't have a xmas tree last year for this reason. A lot of people said, "awww no Christmas tree, that's a scrooge". But what's the alternative? Decorating the tree every day because it's been pulled down??

To those with toddlers - what's the secret??

Put the tree in a playpen.

Or the toddler.

Honestly? We didn't have a tree until last year when our son was 2.5 and understood not to touch.

I'm planning to put the toddler in the garden for the month.

I've got a 10mo and a tree that's been up mere days but I have a small one with battery operated lights (so not dangling wires) on my dining room table out of reach. Not ideal but it'll have to do!

We put the Christmas tree in an old wooden playpen for a few Christmases.

We now have a puppy, no playpen and no idea how the hell I'm going to protect the tree!

I put a hook into the wall and tied the tree to it with a length of ribbon. Doesn't stop them pulling the baubles off but does stop them from pulling the entire thing over.
Now though, I've got a stairgate on the lounge door so they can look but from afar. (I cm, they're not my own toddlers).

we used the playpen as well

I havent put mine up as 11mo would be mesmirised by it. I miss it though, so might put it in my room with all tge presents under.

Our tree is going in a playpen. Since dd never went in the playpen it will be good to get some use out of it.

DD is 2.5 and still did this. Can't help that I decorated the tree with (breakable) Disney figures. Ahhhhhh the sweet, sweet rush of vodka running through my body. I needed that.

Fuck this Christmas lark.

We just used to pick it up every time it got pulled over and re-arrange the decs. By the time Christmas actually arrived we couldn't be bothered so we just picked it up and it ended up looking very dishevelled!

I've got a 10 month old and a super skinny pencil tree that is going in the corner by the sofa with a table in front of it!

Forgot to say, decorate only with cheap plastic baubles!

Tree is up high on top of a big box (i covered the box with wrapping paper) he can't reach it well enough to pull it down. There are no breakable decorations.

In the past I've tied the top to the curtain rail.

What's the point in giving them a 'magical' xmas when they just break shite? I feel like I'm trying my best to make xmas as awesome as possible (spent a lot of money on those decs cause I had the same ones as a young child) now there's £170 worth of broken decs on the floor.

We've always had a tree. I never even thought about it being pulled down DD is almost 3 now, so guess I've just been lucky.

I do appreciate that I've probably just cursed it now!

Oh no. You've just reminded me what dd will be like with the tree. She was only 6mths last year so not a problem.

But as a toddler she is into everything. Her elder brothers were okay with the tree when little, but I just know she won't be.

<a class="break-all" href="http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=img5.ranchoweb.com/images/jsjapan/xmasupsidedown.jpg&imgrefurl=www.savingadvice.com/articles/2006/12/21/101075_top-10-do-it-yourself-christmas-tree-photos.html&h=667&w=500&sz=133&tbnid=MuasspBByTzGKM:&tbnh=90&tbnw=67&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dupside%2Bdown%2Bchristmas%2Btree%26tbm%3Disch%26tbo%3Du&zoom=1&q=upside+down+christmas+tree&usg=__MTbRlK5Mv4EeodROLDN4Wu2IOeQ=&docid=oT_ch-sCA7OUCM&sa=X&ei=9OXAUPSyAoSLhQfOxoHICA&ved=0CEAQ9QEwBQ&dur=1239" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">This is the tree you get OP. It beats the most determined toddler.

I made a deep shelf in the alcove and and put the tree there - well I put the top half of the tree there because of the height.

It was well out of reach but ds would look at it and be happy etc. The shelf was meant to temporary but 15 years later it's still there......

If you need it to be on the floor, then I'd buy cheap non-breakable decs.

In a playpen/behind furniture.

I put the tree in the playpen one year. It meant toddler couldn't pull the whole thing over. Also, don't put it up too early!

You Rope it to the book case, use only plastic baubles and make sure that all the light wires and plugs are out of reach.

Real trees are very spiky, even fiddle with everything DD1 didn't wreak much havoc.

We used to put ours in the corner of the room with a couple of toy boxes in front of it which they knew they weren't allowed to climb over. Seemed to work ok for us.

Mine is stood in the hall. It's got sweets on. Dd is just 2 & has eaten a few candy canes but beyond saying its pretty ignores it. She helped put it up and I said no alot at start. Been 2wks now no pulling over. One in longe is a pop up on table. Ignores that too...

You wouldn't remove anything else, u would just say no? Don't see why this is different?

yanbu.

I didn't really bother until the dc's were 5 & 3 and even then I used cheap, safe baubles and tinsel.

Or get a real tree, they won't mess with that after they've been prickled a couple of times.

I suspect this isn't going to be much help/that i'm going to sound smug

I have two toddlers (2.9 and 18 mo) and we have a 7ft Norway spruce. They have no interest. The first day it was up they pulled like 2 baubles off but that was it. They just don't really care.. Also it is very heavy and sturdy stuck in its stand so it would take a lot of strength to pull it over.

There's a few ideas I found last yr when I was worried one of them would pull it over.
Put a playpen around it.
Buy them a small tree with felt baubles for them to play with.
Place it in the corner with the sofa blocking it off.
Put it high up on a table.