One year old vs. Christmas Tree

[oshannon]

Hey there, moms!

This will be DS's 1st Christmas, but I figured you ladies might have more experience/wisdom than moms with younger kids!

He'll be 1 on January 2, and is on the verge of both walking and crawling. I'm nervous about putting DS and the Christmas tree in the same house. Any advice on how to get both through the holiday season unscathed?

[Renrel]

I know some parents put guard rails around the tree. There is a brand that works well, which I actual have, but can not remember the name of at the moment. I think the one step ahead catalogue has a picture of it being used as a tree guard. But being Jewish we have not actually used ours for that purpose. For us it was just a playpen type thing.

[genndan100502]

We have an artificial tree with lights attached already. We picked a corner of our home that no one hardly ever walks by, less traffic area.

I bought some plastic ornaments that look like glass ornaments from IKEA last year. We have tiled floor so if my daughter would drop an ornament it wouldn't break. They go on sale during their after thanksgiving sale.

http://i10.ebayimg.com/05/i/08/d9/18/f1_1.JPG

http://i19.ebayimg.com/03/i/08/d1/4f/19_1.JPG

With presents, we placed them towards the back of the tree, so she couldn't reach them.

[emschwar]

The gate around the tree is called the Superyard. It's pricey though.

[Pookie]

I'm having major anxiety about this. We're considering just putting our tree up for a week for so. We don't really have any empty spaces in our condo, though.

[bunny nose]

We have a corner we can put ours in, luckily. Plus we also have a playpen type thing we used yo use for the dog wehn he was younger. We plan on putting that around the tree.

Karen

[Cali_Katy]

Oh, good idea about the Superyard! I bought one used from someone and we didn't actually use it very much -- DS was too mobile by the time I got it. But that would be perfect for the tree....

[blondegirl]

DD2 was 10 months last christmas. She was pretty good around the tree. The first few days it was up, she wanted to pull off ornaments that were near the bottom, but after that, she lost interest.

I put soft, safe ornaments near the bottom that she could play with.

DS will be 11 months this christmas, so we'll see how it goes this year!

[basketcase]

We only decorated the top half of our tree, where DS couldn't reach. (I wish I could find a picture...it was hilarious.) And we kept the wrapped presents in our closet until Christmas Eve, and then put them under the tree at the last minute.

Not very festive or Martha Stewarty, but it prevented any toddler catastrophies!

Oh, and we have an artificial tree (because of allergies).

[oshannon]

I think someone gave us one of those Superyard things, too! Or something similar, anyhow. What a good idea!

And like you, Pookie, space is an issue for us. If it weren't for the chandelier, I'd get a short tree & put it on top of the dining room table.

Genndan, those plastic ornaments will help with the "cats vs. ornaments" issue, too!

Femmie, I can only imagine!

Thanks for the ideas, ladies! Keep em coming!

[QPDoll]

We are going to do a table-top tree this year; just a short tree placed up high so the boys cant pull it down. (they will be 17m at Christmas)

[daisysue62]

Last year wasn't a problem since she was only 5 months old and not mobile yet, but this year she'll be 17 months old and I'm anticipating some problems! We get a real tree every year so we will only have it up for about 2 weeks max which will help cut down on the craziness. We'll probably put a few breakable ornaments towards the top of the tree and non-breakable/we don't care if they break ornaments towards the bottom. I'll probably show DD how to put ornaments on the tree and let her "decorate" the tree to her heart's content. As for presents, we'll probably keep them put up until Christmas morning. Between the cat's love of curly ribbon and a toddler I just don't think having wrapped gifts out is a good idea!

[jbemommy]

We have a bay window in our living room (with a window seat) so we bought a small tree (4 feet) that fits there and will use that till our DC's are old enough not to mess with it. It worked well with DD, hopefully it'll be as successful with DS, although he's too little to bother it this year.

[Sevilla]

DS is crawling and cruising and we decided not to do a tree this year. At others' homes we'll watch him like a hawk.

[lil_nance]

DS will be 17mo and when he's bored, he gets into things. I got a Superyard on eBay for half price with local pick-up. I'm going to try without it but have a hunch I'll be putting it up to protect the tree. We always get a real tree and it goes in the living room where most of his toys are. I refuse to sacrifice my tree just because I have a toddler. However, I will make some concessions in order to keep my sanity.

[meggers]

We have decided not to put up a Christmas tree this year. We don't have any Christmas activities at our house anyway so I don't think its going to be a huge deal.

[Lora]

We have a large artificial prelit tree we use. When my DD was first born I took all of the hooks off the ornaments and tied ribbon on every one. Was a PITA but I am now happy I did it. All of the breakables I keep up high and I got some kid friendly ornaments for the bottom( stuffed toys, wrapped present looking things, plastic ornaments). My dd is pretty good and is now 3. My son on the other hand is somewhat of a terror and just turned 1. I have a feeling the tree may be coming down!!! Good luck everyone!! I think my small tree with swarovsky crystals may need to stay down for a couple more years!!!!!!!!!!!

[EJH]

We've been considering what to do. DD is 14 months old and into everything. We have an artificial pre-lit tree (we're rarely around at Xmas and well, no one will come water a real one for us while we're away!). I think we'll put it up this year still, but we have a gate/pen thing that we're going to put around it. We'll see how it goes.

[wildcat]

We always put up a real tree Thanksgiving weekend and take it down New Years Day. We don't see any reason to do anything differently and I want to continue the tradition! Last year, DD was only 3 months, so it didn't matter. This year she will be 15 months, is crawling and walking. However, we put the tree in the living room where we rarely spend time so it should be a nonissue as we can supervise her closely when she is in there.

FWIW, our ped said to only put up a small tabletop tree this year, we're choosing not to take her advice;).

[Medako]

DS will be be 11.5 months at Christmas and I'm planning on putting up a 7 ft tree this year instead of my normal 4 ft. We have a sitting type room that can be closed off from the rest of the house. So while DS is just playing, the tree will be out of reach. When he is in the same room, he won't be alone, so I'm hoping it won't be an issue.

[cr8zyforaf]

DD will be 15 months around Christmas - we will do what we do every year - put up a tree. I will just keep an eye on her and the tree..it is in our family room so I am always with her in that room.

[goldfish]

I worried about our tree too when DD was that age, but while she loved to look at it she actually left it alone. :)

[Ericka_Jarett]

When I use to nanny 4 boys ages 4 yrs to 3 months. We put the tree up a month before Christmas. Never once did we have issues with it being touched. The day it went up the older kids wouldhelp me put decorations up, all were pretty much child friendly, with just a few glass ones that were spread throughout the top. With the baby he was 9 months by Christmas, I took him over to look at the tree and let him touch the branches (was a real tree) he didn't like how it felt, never bothered the tree, just sat and looked at it.

Their cousin, Aunt and Uncle came to visit us in CA 4 yrs later and we started putting the tree up while the cousin and her parents were out. They came home and said why put it up now, she is going to get into it. I told her she wouldn't, we let her touch the branches (was fake this time) and shenever bothered with it the rest of the visit. Myself and boss went out to go shopping, came back to see a broken ornament under skirt, the father dropped a glass one and it was a mess to clean up, but they tried to make it like their daughter did it.

Let your child touch the tree first before just putting a guard up, if the child can help decorate let them, it will make them enjoy the tree more.

[phart]

DS was 13 months for his first Christmas and never really bothered our tree. He had been walking for several months.

On the other hand, DD will be 9+ months and pulls up on everything she can so I'm worried she's going to try and pull up on the tree!

[DallasLady]

I am so nervous about this for next year (DD willonly be 3 months this year). DH and I go all out for Christmas and I cannot imagine not having my big tree. I started transitioning out of using glass ornmaments last year because I kept breaking them, and storing them was a pain. If you have a Garden Ridge in your area, they have a large selection of really nice looking plastic ornaments that are inexpensive. Walmart has good plastic ones as well.

[kmack]

Walmart has good plastic ones as well.

good to know! i am thinking we are doing a tree this year, although our place is really small so its not like i can keep it out of DD's reach (17 mos at xmas). if we do put it up, i plan on securing it to the wall just in case - it goes in front of a window so we put 2 hooks up last year and ran a string around the middle of the tree. i have had 2 trees fall on me and we didn't even have kids! i bought a much better stand last year but will tie it up this year just in case.