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Christmas Tree dilemma with 20 mth old.How do you manage?

  • 21-10-2015 12:41pm
    #1
    Registered Users Posts: 1,554 ✭✭✭Sundew


    The Christmas Tree is an institution in my house .....iVe collected loads of different decorations ( many fiddly and delicate) over the years and love arranging them every year.
    Last year we had an eight month old in the house so she didn't pay too much attention to the tree, but this year may be a different story as she is climbing and examining everything in minute detail.
    I'm torn....I want the tree in the sitting room but I also don't want carnage if I leave her for ten minutes .
    I don't have space in the hall for a tree and would miss it if I don't put it up. Should I just buy some cheep and cheerful decorations this year and keep the good ones packed away:(

    How do you manage?


Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 25,348 ✭✭✭✭Timberrrrrrrr


    Sundew wrote: »
    The Christmas Tree is an institution in my house .....iVe collected loads of different decorations ( many fiddly and delicate) over the years and love arranging them every year.
    Last year we had an eight month old in the house so she didn't pay too much attention to the tree, but this year may be a different story as she is climbing and examining everything in minute detail.
    I'm torn....I want the tree in the sitting room but I also don't want carnage if I leave her for ten minutes .
    I don't have space in the hall for a tree and would miss it if I don't put it up. Should I just buy some cheep and cheerful decorations this year and keep the good ones packed away:(

    How do you manage?

    We had to put it in a corner and put string around the middle and hook to both walls so it didn't fall over, the tree eventually only had decoration from halfway up :) get cheap stuff that you won't mind losing/breaking, plenty more Christmases to come for the good stuff :)


  • Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 24,647 Mod ✭✭✭✭Loughc


    You should consider buying one of these

    4jq22x.jpg

    Home store had them last year and even had Christmas themed ones.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,131 ✭✭✭RentDayBlues


    Sundew wrote: »
    The Christmas Tree is an institution in my house .....iVe collected loads of different decorations ( many fiddly and delicate) over the years and love arranging them every year.
    Last year we had an eight month old in the house so she didn't pay too much attention to the tree, but this year may be a different story as she is climbing and examining everything in minute detail.
    I'm torn....I want the tree in the sitting room but I also don't want carnage if I leave her for ten minutes .
    I don't have space in the hall for a tree and would miss it if I don't put it up. Should I just buy some cheep and cheerful decorations this year and keep the good ones packed away:(

    How do you manage?

    My first was 17 months her second Christmas, I bought some felt decorations for the bottom of the tree she could take on and off, no delicate ones within her reach

    My second will be 22 months this Christmas, and I am dreading it, I've nicknamed her the tazmanian devil. I got plastic decorations in dunnes and I know I'll spend my redecorating it!

    I also have a cat who thinks the tree is a plaything, knocks decorations off and has chewed through 3 sets of lights :)


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,554 ✭✭✭Sundew


    My first was 17 months her second Christmas, I bought some felt decorations for the bottom of the tree she could take on and off, no delicate ones within her reach

    My second will be 22 months this Christmas, and I am dreading it, I've nicknamed her the tazmanian devil. I got plastic decorations in dunnes and I know I'll spend my redecorating it!

    I also have a cat who thinks the tree is a plaything, knocks decorations off and has chewed through 3 sets of lights :)

    Ha! Ha! We have a cat who likes to sit and hide in the tree, peeping out at everybody( I kid you not!) but she actually doesn't go near decorations. Has batted one or two...but no major issues with her.


    @Loughc....must keep an eye out on HomeStore....though it might just spoil the overall look!
    Perhaps a trip to Penney,s and Ikea next weekend are called for.
    My heart is telling me " ah go on, put them up" but my head is saying " no"........... Ahhhhhhh maybe I can tie her to the chair :-D ( only kidding!)


  • Registered Users Posts: 793 ✭✭✭ImARebel


    I got a smaller artificial tree for that 1 year where they don't have the sense to keep away from the tree. I put it on a table behind the couch and it did the job grand. it's really only for a year they do get sense as time goes on. I was back to a normal tree the next year but I still didn't put the "good" decorations lower down though just in case. it is a dilemma when they are that age and you don't want to spend your christmas on tender hooks and saying "ah ah" for the entire time the tree is up.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 1,554 ✭✭✭Sundew


    ImARebel wrote: »
    I got a smaller artificial tree for that 1 year where they don't have the sense to keep away from the tree. I put it on a table behind the couch and it did the job grand.

    That might be a good idea......it' s just those little hands wanting to check everything. I do have some non breakable stuff too, however everything is wrapped and packed away together. Should have separated them last year!


  • Registered Users Posts: 793 ✭✭✭ImARebel


    Where my couch was she couldn't get around it so it was grand and once she realised she couldn't get at it too easily she left it alone.

    That year I didn't put up much stuff to be honest (even around the house). I picked the stuff that if it broke wouldn't bother me and I said to myself there will be plenty Christmases when she understands what's going on that we can make it fancy and a bit "posh"

    I went to the pound shop got cheap and cheerful decorations and it did the job and my nerves weren't shot by the time Christmas was over :-) I said to myself do you want a nice house or a relaxing christmas (well as relaxing as Christmas gets with a toddler in low), I went with the latter :-)


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,554 ✭✭✭Sundew


    Thanks a mill for all your suggestions....I actually can't believe, I only just discovered the Christmas section of Boards....better not tell my O.H :-)


  • Registered Users Posts: 793 ✭✭✭ImARebel


    :-) have a good one and I'd say dealz will be your saviour this year, I'll be in the same boat again myself this year (she'll be 16 months) and probably next year too. My eldest was walking much later so I got away with only needing the tree on the table for one year :-)


  • Registered Users Posts: 68,317 ✭✭✭✭seamus


    Our was just over a year for her first mobile Xmas and just over two for her second. Like others say, the cheaper or softer decorations went on the bottom, more precious ones at the top (or not at all in some cases), but we found it pretty easy to teach her that she can look but she can't pull, and she was fine. Yes, she pulled one or two off and sometimes needed a little intervention, but by and large there was nothing major.

    We do have a fake tree though, I would probably feel a little different around a real tree as they're sturdier and more encouraging to climb on.


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  • Moderators, Entertainment Moderators Posts: 12,909 Mod ✭✭✭✭iguana


    Anything glass or delicate gets left in the attic or put up very high. The one thing I do find it's important to remember is that in the toddler's eyes you just put a shiny new thing filled with amazing looking toys in the livingroom. So don't get angry with them for trying to play with it.

    In my case I have a lot of wooden animals and cartoon-like figures on my tree, many of which are large and as such need to be on the bottom. Last year my 2 year old and I came to a compromise where he would tell me which ones he'd like to play with and I'd give him a few and he'd play with them for a bit and then we'd hang them back together. It was somewhat annoying at times but mostly kind of adorable.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,534 ✭✭✭Radharc na Sleibhte


    My little girl is two in a few weeks. I fear a moat and razor wire might be the only way!
    The expensive and sentimental ones will be up nice and high too!


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,584 ✭✭✭Day Lewin


    We used to always hang soft or wooden ornaments near the bottom of the tree, and the delicate glass ones etc much higher up out of baby range.

    And I second securely attaching the tree to a couple of walls with discreet "guy-ropes" of string.

    Our prettiest invader EVER was a pet mouse that my daughter once had, she used to prop it in those little felt socks and it peeped out at the top. Or in a tiny glass teapot on the tree! #adorable!!


  • Moderators, Education Moderators, Regional South East Moderators Posts: 12,466 Mod ✭✭✭✭byhookorbycrook


    A friend of ours used to put her tree in the play pen whilst her two were very small.


  • Registered Users Posts: 793 ✭✭✭ImARebel


    Lidl have felt decorations at the moment if anyone was interested, I got one of each kind, lol. No harm in having them there in case I need them!


  • Posts: 2,799 ✭✭✭ Alyson Fierce Beggar


    We sent Santa a photo of the tree decorated so he would know which tree our little girls gift should go under. The decoration was never moved. Hohoho :)


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,358 ✭✭✭Into The Blue


    Sundew wrote: »
    maybe I can tie her to the chair :-D ( only kidding!)

    Only ok if you use tinsel to tie her down..


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,126 ✭✭✭screamer


    I'd put nothing glass or dangerous on a Christmas tree with a toddler even the light strings keep them well recessed in the tree and out of reach. When my little one got older and I put some of the better decorations on them I used to use wire and wired them onto the tree so try as she might they werent coming off.


  • Registered Users Posts: 602 ✭✭✭dollyk


    I used to put a safety fire-guard pinned to the wall in a corner.
    I could take it away easily. I used this for years, lol and again for grandkids.
    I decorated it with nice tinsel , they never went near the tinsel either.


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