Who is BU about Christmas Tree decorations?

[GooseOrTurkey]

DH and I do not see eye to eye on this topical topic.

We have a small tree in the family room for the DC with non-breakable baubles in bright colours and tinsel etc, and a more tasteful red and gold tree in the front “adults only” (in theory!) room.

Over the last couple of years, DH has been sneaking additional baubles onto the tasteful tree. And I hate them. I really don’t think I am being precious; it’s not that they’re not quite the same size or colour. It’s that they are great big random shapes, and that they are hideous.

This year he has added a roast turkey on a platter, a car with a Christmas tree on the roof, a neon blue glass crab, a glittery green lizard, and a rainbow ice lolly. The last four aren’t even remotely related to Christmas FFS.

I keep hiding them around the back of the tree (“so people can see them as they come up to the front door, darling”), and he keeps moving them to front centre.

I say they are ugly and they just plain don’t go. He says I am being snobby (I’m not, they were more money than the red and gold ones!), and that his DM bought them for us (yes but only because he wanted them, and she spoils us; left to herself, she buys pretty ones).

We can’t put them on the DC tree because they’re fragile and the DC are too young. Plus, I don’t want to be explaining a Christmas lobster to a 5 year old and a 3 year old and a 1 year old .

So, who IBU? Should he be allowed to have whatever makes him happy, or should he leave my lovely tree alone and stop spoiling it with ugly things?

(Disclaimer: Light hearted but he might end up with a Christmas lizard up the arse if he keeps it up!)

I’ve got decorations from Liberty which sound similar to those - a Santa on a scooter, dog with a top hat on, a Peacock etc. Each year we invest in a couple more. ( not cheap as you can imagine). Personally I think you should embrace it.... a Christmas lobster sounds great fun. Red and gold “ tasteful” sounds dull as a dull thing to me.

His baubles sound great tbh but just get him his own little tree for somewhere else. Just don’t complain when his ends up looking better than yours

YABU.

The bigger, the gaudier, the more colours, the more styles the better as far as I’m concerned when it come to Christmas trees! Personally I really dislike symmetrical tasteful ‘adult’ trees. I like it to look like we’ve had fun decorating it.

Not that we do, thus far I decorate and the kids whinge about being made to participate

nah my tree when i put it up is made up of things collected over the years me and mine think its lovely but you would probably say it looks tatty i buy a decoration every year this year we have 2 llamas with bling and fluff on them

I voted YABU but honestly I do rather like a matchy tree with a 'theme' even though it's terribly boring. I do like mish-mash fun trees too as they have more character. My suggestion would be to come to an official agreement - you could alternate years. On odd years he can go to town with making his fun tree with lobsters, poop emojis, cars etc, and on even years you have your nice matchy tasteful theme!

Time for a third tree perhaps up on the kitchen worktop?

Must admit i laughed out loud and now want a Christmas tree lobster!
Ours is tastefully decorated in silver red and green but we have a tatty angel on the top from Woolworths in 1995. It s always there as dd (now 25) chose it.
I think you need to compromise a bit

I want all those decorations!

Going on my vair posh ILs totally mismatched is very tasteful.

Mind you I have a cat toy on mine.

We've got glittery dinosaurs, camping baubles unicorns, homemade,a giraffe... The more outrageous the better!

Plus our collection of singing and dancing Santa's, pengiuna, reindeer etc.

Worst thing that happened was DS who was about 3 took a pair of scissors to all the hanging strings.

This could be the answer to your problem OP

anyone else thinking of the bit in friends where monica lets the others "help" decorate the tree, then spins it around so only her perfect side is visible??

Your husbands decorations sound fun I bet he would like the Christmas shrimp bauble I have! Let him be

The best decoration on my tree is a 19 year old fading painted petit filou yoghurt pot that DD made when she was at nursery. Its hideous, doesn't match anything but it has to go on the tree. Your kids will remember the lobster at al in time and will want them on the tree....give your DH a little leeway

Are they breakable? Accidents do occur.

YANBU I hate ugly baubles.

YANBU!!

Oh my, they sound awful.

My mum LOVES decorations like these, she calls my tree boring 😂

The best decoration on my tree is a 19 year old fading painted petit filou yoghurt pot that DD made when she was at nursery.

That's different from a grown adult actually buying monstrosities, the top of out tree is an 'angel', a curved piece of silver cardboard with a ping pong ball head, at least 37 years old.

Sorry, tinsel?

The best decoration on my tree is a 19 year old fading painted petit filou yoghurt pot that DD made when she was at nursery. Its hideous, doesn't match anything but it has to go on the tree.

Almost the same but we have a circle of card with little pasta shells stuck on it and painted gold - must be more than 20 years old as DD did it at nursery.

Sorry OP I think your tasteful red and gold tree sounds boring, I prefer your DH's decs! TBF, when we were first married we had a red and gold tree but that was because we were starting from scratch so we bought whole set of baubles in the same colours. However, over time this has been much augmented. Every year we get at least one new one - usually from somewhere we have been on holiday. We put our tree up yesterday and by the time all the special baubles have gone on there isn't really any room for the red and gold stuff anymore. I love my Christmas decoration collection as it is personal to us.

You need a third tree.

We have:

Playroom Tree: for children to decorate with non breakable baubles and salt dough decorations.

Living room tree: huge and with the glass baubles. Every year we each pick a new decoration. There's robots, peacocks, dogs and soldiers amongst my lovely spun glass baubles and inherited decorations. It looks amazing because nothing matches.

Conservatory tree: the one with coordinated decorations where I pretend the rest of the house isn't chaos and mayhem.

Living room one is my favourite.

Is there space for two smaller trees in the adult living room? I can appreciate how pretty it looks to have co-ordinated Christmas decorations so understand where you're coming from. DP is a fan of multicoloured tinsel and hand me down decorations from the 80s so I've started to embrace that. I'm jealous of the glittery lizard, but I love all things lizard, dragon and dinosaur and have picked up a few 'tacky' dinosaur baubles this year!

YABU his decorations sound fabulous

This year he has added a roast turkey on a platter, a car with a Christmas tree on the roof

Just wanted to add - a few days ago I went to Chatsworth to see the decorations in the house and they are utterly and completely fabulous and nobody could describe them as not tasteful. But I remember that on one of the trees there was a car with a Christmas tree on the roof. In fact I think you could also buy it in the gift shop. Does that make it any more acceptable to you? After all, if the Duchess of Devonshire is OK with it.....

I’m 27 and my sister and I help my parents put up their tree every year and it’s the always the weird ornaments we remember and talk about!

U r both being unreasonable he wants to join in and have his fav things out for Xmas u want to claim the tree as yours only so I can see all sides and the answer is he can have his own "man" tree with all the tacky ugly shit on and u jeep your lovely tasteful instagram tree the end problem solved everyone's happy