What are you going about trees if you have a toddler?

[Trooperslane]

Breaking my normal rule about talking about the C word pre 1st December -

But I usually have a real tree plus all the decorations tat

I have a 16 month who's into everything.

What do you all do?

Following! We have twins who are 2.2 and thinking of skipping Christmas altogether this year

DD will be 2.3 and we'll be having a tree. As we did last year. Tell them not to touch it

My DS was 18mo last Christmas and we didn't bother with a tree. It's would have been a recipe for disaster. We just made lots of garlands etc. It looked fine.

This year we are braving a tree.

Last year we had a 17 month old ds. Our tree was in the porch!

This year, he's not quite so 'into' everything so the tree is being attempted in the living room!

Hoping they'll be ok this year (DTDs (2)), but last year I turfed them out of the playpen and put the tree in it, all worked beautifully .

Check the tree is securely weighted at the bottom and tied up near the top if you are worried.

Use plastic / shatterproof baubles

Don't put chocolates low on the tree.

Our only problem with trees has been smallest child stripping the lower branches of chocolate one morning - was found surrounded by wrappers smeared in chocolate.

We never had a problem with either of ours and Christmas trees because we explained they had to be very careful. Although, anticipating issues we did buy smaller trees and one year we bought a 5 foot tree and put it up on a coffee table so that it was raised about a foot above the ground.

*doing.

We're going for it with a real tree this year despite dd ( 18mo) being a wee terror . I'll maybe put the nicer decorations up out of her reach but I guess we'll just have to see how it goes .

Dd was mostly very good to her credit, but we did watch her very closely when she looked interested.

We put 'her' decorations near the bottom - none-breaking ones that were hung right at the tips of the branches, so she could get them on and off easily and not be bothered by the ones higher up.

We'd frequently find here round the back of the tree looking sheepish though. But it was because she was hoarding all her decorations round there

Dd is 22 months this time and we're just going to put the fake 7ft tree up and see how it goes, if it causes problems I'll wedge it between the travel cot and sofa so she can't get to it

When the DCs were little we had our usual tree in the hallway, but put up a baby gate around it. So, they could see it, but couldn't pull it over on themselves!

My DT are now 8, but we have always had a Christmas tree in our sitting room. Let them help decorate the tree ( then rearrange when they are in bed!) We allowed them to choose a decoration each which was hung on low branches which they could touch. You will regret it if you don't put up a tree, it just doesn't look festive.

I just have a fake tree that is easy to put back upright if pulled over and cheap and cheery child friendly decorations. Not worth the hassle or stress of trying to keep it all perfect. I let them touch it and explore.

We've always put a tree up every year and now DD is 4. We would cover the bottom of the tree in safe ornaments for her to explore. She never managed to pull it over!

Heavy base, secured with a sneaky hook and wire at the top.

Baubles that she's allowed to have all be at the bottom of the tree.

And lots of stern talking if she gets that mischievous look in her eyes...

Xmas trees are usually too prickly for toddlers really to bother about I found. Just don't hang chocolate from it. Toddlers aren't as bad as cats and they grow up quicker!

We haven't been able to have a new tree since we got the new cat 4 years ago- how he loves to chew at the needles and then boak the whole lot up- over and over again. Toddlers didn't even try this.

I meant real tree not new tree.

Great point McG. Hadn't thought of the prickliness.

The other suggestions about safe baubles low down are great too.

Thanks all

I have a DD aged 2.3 and a DS 3.6 and we've had a six foot tree every year and it's been fine - only problem is the cat loves swatting the baubles and climbing it...

Have two dc and never changed decs at all, and they are both very inquisitive active toddlers.

Op dont worry about mentioning xmas here, its the xmas board we talk about it year round

I know IAFCN but I am usually the grinch!

DD being here has decidedly lightened my XMAS mood and turned me into a bit of an XMAS fairy

Oh good no room for grinchs on xmas boards

i never found it a problem. Always a huge real tree, secured with wire at several points up the trunk and discreetly secured to the wall with screws. Toddlers can have their own safe decorations on the lower branches as they will inevitably want to play.

Dd will be 19m Xmas day. I'm hoping she'll leave it alone after the first week or so?!

I'm more worried about our 5 mo kitten.