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Original poster

Christmas decorating with kids

34 replies

christmaslover88 · 29/11/2022 19:03

For the record, I am the biggest Christmas fan on earth, I absolutely love it and look forward to it all year. My kids are 4 and about to turn 3. Obviously they're both very excited about Christmas. But today we tried to decorate for Christmas and it was awful. The kids wouldn't listen, kept flicking baubles off the tree (stressing me out that they'd smash), playing tug of war with tinsel, shouting and just generally misbehaving. Does anyone else find that decorating with young kids is not the magical experience you expect? I was so desperate to just stop it all and do it by myself after they were in bed but I know they'd be so upset if we did that. I just feel like at the moment whenever I try to arrange something fun for us all to do together as a family the kids end up ruining it with their inability to listen or follow instructions. What age will they be able to decorate a tree without me losing my mind?!

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WhyDoesItAlways · 29/11/2022 19:08

I'm a bit of a control freak over how my tree is decorated so I got DS a small artificial tree with plastic baubles which he decorates. The last few years (from about 5) he has also helped decorate the main tree but I do end up doing a bit of redistribution of baubles from the lower branches once he is in bed. But I only have 1 child to contend with.

Yellowy · 29/11/2022 19:15

IME they need a lot more active management than you imagine. So eg they can each choose 3 baubles to do (supervised)at the start and another 3 at the end. I always used to put a Christmas film on while we decorated so once they were done they could watch that, occasionally wandering over to help with something.

Sadly none of our kids get the memo that it’s supposed to be like the GH Christmas cover 😂

Christmas decorating with kids
OnlyFoolsnMothers · 29/11/2022 19:16

Stop looking at Instagram- nothing with children is magical, there’s ok bits, some laughs and then someone ruins it. Low expectations!

TheRealKatnissEverdeen · 29/11/2022 19:20

I second the notion of their own small tree to decorate. Main tree is going up on Saturday but they've done their own so should, in theory, leave me to it.
We've also, today, put a garland with lights around the fireplace so they should be content.

Christmas decorating with kids
Christmas decorating with kids
Dogtooth · 29/11/2022 19:23

You can get felt trees with velcro decorations, or many Etsy variations on the theme - DC used to be happy moving decorations around and only messed with the tree a bit.

Here are some www.amazon.co.uk/felt-christmas-tree/s?k=felt+christmas+tree

mrsed1987 · 29/11/2022 19:29

My son is almost 4, we did most when he was in bed or at nursery. He put 3 or 4 on the tree this morning but that was enough 🤣

Original poster
christmaslover88 · 29/11/2022 19:31

Thanks all, they do each have a little 2ft tree in their room with their own set of smash-proof baubles, maybe I should have left it at that but they were so desperate to decorate the main tree.

@Yellowy you're definitely right about active management. Last year we had my teen nieces come round and do it with us and I think that went much more smoothly as there were more people to supervise the kids. We also have a newborn so Dh and I were juggling the older two whilst also caring for the baby which was definitely part of the problem

@TheRealKatnissEverdeen off topic slightly, but the kids would LOVE those paw patrol baubles, have you bought them or are they fill your own ones which you've put figurines in? If bought, where from?

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Marblessolveeverything · 29/11/2022 19:32

I always did the majority after their bedtime and had a small tree for them to decorate. Lots of ideas on pin interest that are age appropriate.

monicagellerbing · 29/11/2022 19:34

We are decorating on Friday when the kids are at school. It is not magical, it's stressful and everyone ends up in a rage and/or tears when we try and do it as a family!

ILOVECHEESE79 · 29/11/2022 19:36

I let my 4.5 yr old twins decorate our flat at the weekend.
It's aesthetically ambiguous and is what you'd expect from two 4.5 year olds - a bit of a mess - but they love it/were so proud and that's what I wanted: them to be happy.

yoyy · 29/11/2022 19:37

The reality is very different. We have a small fake tree that the dc decorate to their taste. The proper one is adults only.

TheRealKatnissEverdeen · 29/11/2022 19:40

OP I purchased baubles from Etsy last Christmas at an eye watering price. I have a 6 and 3 year old hence the marvel superheroes, sonic and Mario vs Paw Patrol and Gruffalo.
We were in a new house and I wanted it to be extra special plus I'm absolutely shite at crafts...I do think you could make yourself though.

BeautifulWar · 29/11/2022 19:43

I'm a bit of a control freak over how my tree is decorated so I got DS a small artificial tree with plastic baubles which he decorates. The last few years (from about 5) he has also helped decorate the main tree but I do end up doing a bit of redistribution of baubles from the lower branches once he is in bed. But I only have 1 child to contend with.

Exactly the same here!

Luminousnose · 29/11/2022 19:45

I’m an awful Mum. DD always had her own mini tree in her bedroom that she decorated (and quite a lot of other decorations), but the main tree was my domain until she was in her teens and no arguments - even then I just rearranged quite a lot of it. Now we do it together - with a glass of something sparkling - and I’m still quite precious about it. It has nearly always been just silver and sparkles, although I did weaken and we had a couple of years of a multi-coloured tree. She quite likes the silver now she’s in her twenties!

MrsToothyBitch · 29/11/2022 19:46

My parents decorated without me when I was little. I used to help do the tree and my mum would rejig when I'd gone to bed. I never noticed or cared and I don't care now, either!

I had a playroom that I was allowed to decorate with old decorations or ones I'd made at school though, so I did still get to do my "own" decorating. I definitely second all the ideas up thread!

LadyMarmaladeAtkins · 29/11/2022 19:49

OP I don't think you understand 2 and 4 year olds minds very well. Best thing will be to introduce them to some decorating that is age appropriate, time limited, and doesn't matter if they don't do it the way you want. It IS important that they learn to listen and take turns and not create havoc but they can't learn it overnight.

Perhaps give them their own tree or if you don't want to divide it like that, say "hey kids come and help Mummy hand decorations on the little tree over in the hall (kitchen, window wherever, a public area though) where everyone can see your handwork". Perhaps decorate over a few days. Make some paper chains. Make some tree decorations. Keep it simple and engaging and far from perfect.

ScarlettOHaraHamiltonKennedyButler · 29/11/2022 19:56

My DC are 9 and 6 and this has been the first year that it has actually been ok because DS(9) has zero interest beyond fighting with his sister about what tree he puts the star on (we do a living room and family room tree) and DD(6) is actually very good at putting the baubles on now after years of just putting all of them on the same five branches and ignoring the rest of the tree.

Every other year has been a nightmare and I agree with letting them do their own mini trees.

Original poster
christmaslover88 · 29/11/2022 20:02

@ILOVECHEESE79 "aesthetically ambiguous" is a perfect description

For the record, I don't want the tree to look perfect or anything, I really don't mind if it looks completely stupid, I just wanted them to decorate without fighting with each other and smashing all the baubles. Interesting to see so many people do the main tree as adults only though, I definitely will consider that for next year.

@TheRealKatnissEverdeen thank you, I will check etsy but may have a stab at doing my own. We have lots of paw patrol figures that I think they wouldn't miss for a month

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Lilabelle22 · 29/11/2022 20:03

@OnlyFoolsnMothers what she said!

Today my nearly 2.5 year old pulled a heavy mirror off the wall, broke our living room lamp and ripped a new book up as soon as we'd bought it and brought it home.

I had visions of decorating the tree with him on the 1st Dec. Thank you for this thread. It's my reminder to do it tmrw evening instead!! 😅

Original poster
christmaslover88 · 29/11/2022 20:04

I'm also considering putting all the delicate baubles away for a few years and replacing with some packs of cheap plastic baubles so I don't get so stressed about them being dropped and smashing. Then I might be able to relax and embrace the havoc a bit more

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Original poster
christmaslover88 · 29/11/2022 20:05

@Lilabelle22 you're welcome, I hope I've saved you the stress I went through this evening!

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GreenManalishi · 29/11/2022 20:12

It's a bit like baking with small children, you have to be fully prepared to let go of the outcome and manage the process or it all goes everywhere 😂

AgentJohnson · 29/11/2022 20:13

I remember putting random baubles on the tree with my sister until we both got bored (usually after three minutes), then in the morning the tree would be magically decorated beautifully.

Kids, especially young ones, don’t have the patience for tree decorating. I’m 50 years old and I can’t be arsed either but DD has no interest in doing it.

TheRealKatnissEverdeen · 29/11/2022 20:14

Update with a pic if you do make your own...and how easy it is to do.
Next year we will need a refresh and I'm reluctant to buy more.

Our garden centre has got a whole Christmas grotto set up with a fab Christmas store so I've bought some new shatterproof teal and aquamarine baubles. Let's see how we get on this weekend as I'm sure my two helpers will be involved!

OnlyFannys · 29/11/2022 20:16

Half the fun of Christmas is having an ugly, poorly decorated tree for me, I'm not personally a fan of the overly perfect, coordinated trees I see on social media (dont get me wrong they look beautiful and some are pieces of art) but my whole house is haphazard and very "lived in" 😁 so I am happy to proudly display my disaster tree