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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to wonder how you have a Christmas tree AND toddlers

64 replies

PrettyHairClips · 06/12/2012 18:26

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??

OP posts:

ZebraInHiding · 06/12/2012 22:32

Infant? Olds!!

armani · 06/12/2012 22:33

My dc are 6, 3 and 2 and have so far been ok with the tree! I let them decorate it and they really enjoyed it!
Who cares that 90% of the baubles are on one branch at the bottom of the tree? :)

DewDr0p · 06/12/2012 22:36

when they were little I tied the tree to a tack on the picture rail with normal sewing thread doubled up a few times. and left the bottom branches bare. They never managed to pull it over!

AndABigBirdInaPearTree · 06/12/2012 22:38

When our rugrats were small DH wired ours to the wall. Seriously, tied wire around the top third of the tree and screwed it to the wall. Yes, you have to touch it up once it is taken down but man, it is worth it.

I bought and made non-breakable ornaments. The plastic baubles I superglued the top piece on first and then I used wire hangers and twisted them onto the ornament and then the tree itself. You could grab them and shake them and they stayed on. Special ornaments went up higher where they were hard to reach. I also put a basket under the tree with easy to hang ornaments that they could take off and put back on.

IwishyouaMerryChristmas · 06/12/2012 22:42

Ours have never pulled the tree over, but we were concerned that they might s we had it in one of these with bags of gravel in there.

Spending £170 on tree decorations is mad though!

Splatt34 · 06/12/2012 22:58

in defence of whoever mentioned £170 I suspect mine total more than that.My decorations are a collection started by my mum buying me one each year. The oldest is dated 1983 I think. A decoration for the tree is now the only souvenir I buy on holiday and as I bring them out eaxh year I can tell exactly when & where they were all bought.

Still the breakable ones are at the too the none breakables on the bottom 1/3 placed by DD (2) who knows she is now allowed to look but not touch or santa won't come. She also has a littke fibreoptic one in her room which DH bought her & she loves

redwellybluewelly · 06/12/2012 22:59

£170 on tree decorations? holy cow!

We asked DD not to touch it and only used plastic baubles, it was a fake one and she only pulled it down on her head the once. This year we are staying fake but putting it on a desk out of reach.

Next year we'll have a real one.

PacificDogwood · 06/12/2012 23:03

Real tree.

Playpen up to the age of 2.

Then corporal punishment .

I have a tree for me; my 4 horrors couldn't give a monkeys - well, no, they do like it and 'helped' decorate it, but if we did not have one, they would not be bothered.
If it is stressing you out, get rid, why don't you? She'll not remember in years to come

redbusandbigben · 06/12/2012 23:06

We didn't have a tree for years! Not that my children are naughty, they were just very adventurous and did have 3 under 3. Got a plastic tree that went on the wall!

Why make life difficult!?

pugsandseals · 06/12/2012 23:08

1st Christmas we had a baby tree on top of the dresser. 2nd Christmas we put the big tree up in the conservatory & locked it out there so she could see but not touch. 3rd Christmas we shoved the tree in the corner & sandwiched it between the sofa & coffee table to block it in & shouted at dd everytime she crawled round behind the sofa to steal the Xmas tree chocolates! HTH

Morloth · 06/12/2012 23:08

It didn't even occur to me that this could be an issue TBH.

They help put it up and once it is decorated it is a NO TOUCH, I was more worried about the cat this year, but she knows NO TOUCH as well.

Both toddler and cat like sitting and staring at the pretty lights, but NO TOUCH.

fluffypillow · 06/12/2012 23:19

I had a similar problem last year when my DD was a year old. She wouldn't leave it alone, and damaged alot of the baubles.

This year I thought the same thing would happen, but she has been quite good, although I do quite often get to the shops, and realise she is carrying one of the baubles! I can live with that though, just as long as the tree still looks half decent

TwelveLeggedWalk · 06/12/2012 23:23

We've gone small, table top tree on a side table behind a fireguard, with squishy fabric decorations on just in case - they look nice actually, if a bit Kirstie's Homemade Bollocks.

NapaCab · 06/12/2012 23:27

You know I thought this would be a big problem with my DS (14 months and in the classic ransack-the house-every-day phase) and wasn't going to bother with a Christmas tree but put it up last weekend anyway just to see.

So far, bizarrely, he has shown absolutely no interest in it! He doesn't like the feeling of the branches on his hands and sort of half-touches it and then moves away. Let's hope his tree-aversion lasts through the festive season... by the time next year rolls around, he'll be old enough to understand not to touch things, I hope.

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