Christmas Choking Hazard?

[SunshineFlowersFood]

Am I being unreasonable by taking my new Christmas baubles back to the shop because they are a choking hazard or is it not that bad?

I have OCD which makes me overreact and also do not have children yet (but want to start ASAP) so might not have the best idea of childrens hazards. Please could you let me know if you think these are dangerous? Would I be able to enjoy November to January without watching each child like a hawk until they are five/six?

Yes you are unreasonable = low risk
No, you are not unreasonable= high risk, take back to shop

Just to add, they are small cherry sort of size

Absolutely fine and when the problem arises any smaller devices hang near the top of the tree

Just put them high up!

I can’t see what makes them a choking hazard? Are they really small and would fit in the mouth of a child? You certainly aren’t unreasonable to return an item you’ve changed your mind about but it would never occur me to think of baubles as a choking hazard.

Edited to say I’ve just seen your update about the size. Still not something I’d worry about. And I worry about A LOT of things 🤣🙈

You just put them out of reach when the DC are at the"try to eat everything" stage, they grow out of putting everything in their mouths by the time they are 2 or 3.

Most decorations are not meant to be played with by small children, bits might come off, the glass ones might smash into sharp pieces etc

Thank you! 😊 Really appreciate the quick responses.

Tbh I think I returning some baubles because you think they might one day choke a child that hasn't even been conceived yet is an unhealthy level of anxiety.

But do return them if you've changed your mind.

I’d say bring them back.
It will help your anxiety.

I wouldn’t have them around my baby who puts everything in his mouth. But if you aren’t pregnant to en it’s not something you should be worrying about yet. If you do have a baby then you can just not put them out the one year that they are into chewing everything.

They look pretty cheap and cheerful, so why not just keep them for now? You can give them to a charity shop if and when you have a small child who may mistake them for cherry tomatoes.

Giving in to irrational fears doesn’t help anxiety- it makes it worse.

OP, you’re being silly- there is no baby to choke on these. Are you currently in active care for your OCD?

Get a playpen if you have a toddler. Older children should learn not to touch

I think it's completely understandable to be cautious, especially if you're planning ahead for when you have children. Christmas decorations can definitely pose risks, but it depends on the design and size of the baubles. If they’re small enough to fit in a child’s mouth or have pieces that could break off, it might be worth returning them for peace of mind. That said, if the baubles are well-made and seem safe, you could keep them but stay mindful of placement (e.g., higher on the tree, out of reach of small kids). Trust your instincts—there’s no harm in prioritizing safety!

I also have a thing about choking (stemming from seeing my brother choke as a child and having to do the Heimlich manoeuvre on him).
When I had my own DC it really affected me (and them really) - eg when my oldest was a baby I would only feed him in public if I was by myself during the day.
I am a bit better with my grand daughter as I really try to 'hide' and confront my anxiety but I still only feed her soft food when she is at mine (she is 3).
Anyway my point is I would advise you get some sort of support with this before you do have children (I should have but ....)

Well, who has their decs up all through Nov, December and January?

And in the choke hazard years, you either don't use them, or out them out if reach.

However, there's something a bit concerning that your worried about a choke hazard for bin existent children.

Do you put them on the tree one by one or as a bunch? I don’t think you need to worry about choking hazards at this point. But they look like you could securely twist them onto a branch anyway

So you don't actually have a child but you want to take these back in case a child you have at some indeterminate point in the future might choke on them?

Interesting, I wouldn’t have known that.
I was more thinking; take the problem away.

Thanks all. Really appreciated. I have bought many of the cluster baubles and so didn't want to be left with them if they couldn't be useful. I am in the process of getting support. :)