Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Christmas

From present ideas to party food, find all your Christmas inspiration here.

Original poster

What part of decorating WITH the children is supposed to be fun?

24 replies

Skyler · 10/12/2006 17:23

We have just dug out all the decorations and put the tree up. Last year I decorated while the dd's were in bed and they came into this lovely Christmassy room and jumped up and down with excitement. This year I mistakenly decided dd1 (3.9) was old enough to help . What a nightmare. I was prepared for the fact the tree would look a mess and would need re-doing but why do they have to touch EVERYTHING? We have two breakages already and I am really regretting the purchase of a musical ice skating snowman candle thing I made pre children . I have been totally stressed about the whole thing and know it is my fault for expecting far too much from dd1. dd2 (17mths) was actually much easier to handle . At least dh did the lights this year and I have some nice photos. I think I will resort to the adult only decorating next year. This was supposed to be a treat for dd1 and although she enjoyed doing the tree I don't think the constant nagging to just look and not touch was much fun .
How old were your children when they got involved in the whole decorating thing??

OP posts:
whoopsfallenoffthexmastree · 10/12/2006 17:30

I let my 2 (2.11 & 5)help you can tell which bit they did as there are bauballs etc n the same 3 branches!
we have star lights and the stars kept falling off so they kept trying to put them back on but they still fell off!

poinsettydog · 10/12/2006 17:33

I think my true memories of young tree decoraters have perhaps faded to nothing. Let them help from about age 3 I think (when we started to get trees).

Just decorated this year's tree with 10 and 8 year old. It looks ace. Can you accept a messy tree into your life? Can you lose these uptight tree ways?

paulaplumpbottom · 10/12/2006 17:34

Its not fun at all is it? Think how much they are much fun they are having and all the wonderful memories you are making for them.

snorkle · 10/12/2006 17:43

Message withdrawn

pedilia · 10/12/2006 17:44

we have done ours today with DS's 5 & 2, they enjoyed it and i just supervised, looks terrible and I will be another having a little tweak tonight, but hey ho Xmas spirit and all that

Original poster
Skyler · 10/12/2006 17:45

PMSL at 'Can you lose these uptight tree ways?'
I certainly think I will have too. Actually tree isn't the biggest issue, it is all the other niff naff (wooden snowmen, china santas etc etc) that are causing the issues. Thought it would be fun for dd1 to unwrap the stuff with me but of course she just wanted to touch and hold it all. Putting this one down to experience I think and I will approach next year with just the tree to do with dd's I think. Well we live and learn

OP posts:
Original poster
Skyler · 10/12/2006 17:46

Sorry xposted with Snorkle. I think you have it spot on for next year.

OP posts:
SherlockLGJ · 10/12/2006 17:50

DS(5) is getting his own artificial tree, if last year is anything to go by, it will be a monument to bad taste.

Our main tree is not tasteful or arty, just a collection of memories and some of the babubles are ones I had as a child. So by default it is a DS free zone in the main. He thinks he is helping but he gets bored and wanders off PDQ....phew.

3sEnough · 10/12/2006 17:52

No fun for you, loads for them - which is pretty much my life at the moment (sigh!) A big drink at the end helps I find!

motherinfurrierfestivefrock · 10/12/2006 17:58

Look at it as Christmas in Miniature - supposedly adorable, in reality a PITA.

heavenlyghosty · 10/12/2006 18:05

Decorating the tree with children is about as much fun as baking with children IMO ... which is about as much fun as sticking pins in my eyes ..... I don't do any of it very well ...
Like LGJ, our tree isn't arty or stylish (I look at other trees wistfully) but a collection of memories ... DS helped from the age of 4 (just 4) and last year DD helped too (almost 2 at the time) ....
Whatever you do though, DON'T GET A CAT ...... EVER! Once you do your efforts will be ruined and if your cat is like ours was last year only the top half of the tree will be decorated and the lower will look like it is dying of something like Dutch Elm Disease (or the Pine equivalent)

wheresthehamster · 10/12/2006 18:49

I have my own tree - the big one in the lounge which no one except me is allowed to touch and is all silver and white and the dds have their own one in the dining room/entrance hall which they can decorate and squabble over and do what they like with.

Smithagain · 10/12/2006 19:48

My DD1 was 3.5 when she first helped (last year). I put away all the breakable decorations first and did them myself after she'd gone to bed. As far as I remember, it was more stressful than I anticipated, but not as bad as making gingerbread men (her other all-time favourite activity)!

To my shame, the Christmas tree looked just as good after her efforts as it ever does when I do it myself in a carefully co-ordinated manner

Spicedfennelwine · 11/12/2006 09:50

Bucking the trend here, I was a christmas-hater before children who actually really enjoys it now I have small children to do all the decorating/baking/excitement generating with. but our house is a tip anyway so a bit more tinsel and gingerbread strewn around randomly doesn't really make it much worse than it already is.

Spicedfennelwine · 11/12/2006 09:52

And I am thoroughly enjoying the dds' take on Christmas. dd2 (5) has made a special decoration for the top of the Christmas tree - Jesus on the cross. We're an atheist household so I guess those RE lessons are having an impact.

NOELallie · 11/12/2006 10:59

Getting the tree with the kids is fun. Sitting down in the dark with just the tree lights on and a drink is nice. Decorating the tree is not.

I have a few simple rules. 1. Sort the decs first - that way you don't have to fight with the kids over the crappy old stuff that is falling apart and really looks naff. That also means that the delicate glass ones can be put on seperately by you at the top of the tree whilst the kids deal with unbreakable ones. 2. Remove most of the tinsel garlands otherwise ALL of them will be put on probably in one place and/or carried all round the house leaving little sparkly bits everywhere. 3. Put the tree up and the lights on BEFORE the children realise - they ARE NOT HELPFUL at this stage!

EniDeepMidwinter · 11/12/2006 11:01

mine have their own trees

(from asda thank you malory)

dh and I do the tree alone without the kids on the evening of the 20th

it is nice

EniDeepMidwinter · 11/12/2006 11:02

shoudl have said mine have their own little fake trees in their bedrooms

puddle · 11/12/2006 11:02

lol.

We did this yesterday. DD (4) 'helped' by hanging about 8 baubles in an area of the tree about half a foot square. i just moved them later.

DS mostly helped by watching Jackonory while we did the tree.

santasaltire · 11/12/2006 11:04

My DS are 8a nd 6 now, so the tree does look a bit better than previous years.
I always get it out, and put the lights on when they are having dinner, then they decorate , it just needed minute tweaking this year!
My problem is my mindees I have three under 5's - a 4 year old, a 2 and half year old and an almost two year old. The tree is situated where it is a bit difficult to get too, but they won't leave it alone. I also have three beautiful snowman candle holders, which are made of china, and were a present from Canada.
I usually have them on my mantelpiece, but this year they are not coming out till last mindee goes at 6pm on teh 22nd!

hana · 11/12/2006 11:05

also decorated tree last night -
older 2 'decorated' lower branches
I put away breakable decs for a few more years (woudl hate if some got broken)
was going to sort out lower branches today but have decided not to - its their tree as well and they had lot sof fun doingit. I can have tree my way when they leave home (sob sob!)

Original poster
Skyler · 11/12/2006 11:51

I am so glad there is some consensus here. It is making me feel better.
Lol at Ghosty and the comparison between decorating and cooking with children. I TOTALLY agree . I think perhaps I am too much of a control freak. We made a crown on Sunday too as dd1 is a King in the nativity so I thought that would be fun to do. Again I found it really hard not to take over.......The ironic thing is that I am not at all arty and so the crown was better done by dd anyway.
DH and I redid the tree last night with mince pies and sloe gin after going to the Carol service. It was lovely. The girls have since rearranged it again but I have given up now. I like the idea of them having their own trees for future years.

OP posts:
Original poster
Skyler · 11/12/2006 11:55

I should add that actually there is nothing remotely stylish about our tree. I buy a new tree decoration each year and have lots of inherited ones so it is a mish mash of memories too.
We have left the tinsel off this year but I can't help feeling the minimalist look is a bit too bare for my cluttered home. (We have left off 20 glittery baubles too as they only went with the tinsel)

OP posts:
JollyOldSaintNikkielas · 11/12/2006 20:31

I put the tree up and do the lights, then kids get a box of decs and put them on where they want, when they have gone to bed I do all the other branches

New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread