Okay, lets talk Toddlers and Christmas decorations...

We were going to wait 2 weeks to put our Christmas Tree up but I couldn't go against the temptation yesterday -- all the neighbors were out decorating so I just went with it and put our tree up inside the house.

As soon as Emily saw it she started ripping the ornaments off. We were careful not to put any glass ornaments on --- only wooden ones, some metal, ones that would hold up in case she ripped them off.

We also ran a string to the wall to tie the tree up since DH insisted that we had to do that.

And of course she just coudln't stop pulling things off, so we ended up putting the big hexagon gate around it, which was ugly as all heck----my tree now looks like a ghetto tree ----

How the heck are we supposed to decorate without the toddlers tearing everything down?

Marissa -- your apartment looks SOO cute but isn't Ryan getting into everything?

Or do I just have a spoiled, overly mischeivious little girl???

HELP!!!

Melissa

Re: Okay, lets talk Toddlers and Christmas decorations...

I wouldn't call her spoiled just very curious!

Last year when DD was about 20 months I ended up going out to Michaels and buying ribbon that made spirals out of and these beautiful glittery poinsettia flowers that I used instead of traditional ornaments. DD was in awe of the tree but didn't care to take the pointsettias off. It worked and was so easy to decorate and take down. In fact it was so easy that I plan on using it again this year.

Re: Okay, lets talk Toddlers and Christmas decorations...

Well as I said in my other post- I have no ornaments on the lower half of the tree- so thier really isnt anything he could get into....


He touches the tree- but thats where it ends... there is nothing to pull off or rip apart in his reach...

My other decorations are high up- with the exception of some singing and dancing santa clauses or snowmen- which he does touch and play with- BUT they are stuffed animals so he can play with them all he wants...!

Why cant you take all the ornaments and move them up? Then whats left for her to "get into"?

Re: Okay, lets talk Toddlers and Christmas decorations...

I decorated my tree like I did the past 2 years we had it, and Julia doesn't touch it at all, she went over to it a few times but once I said NOOOO! She walked away, and that was it.

I guess just get her use to the word NO when she goes by it--lol

Re: Okay, lets talk Toddlers and Christmas decorations...

What I remember that we did was NOt put up ornaments that required those metal hanger thingies, which are so many really or maybe we did put some higher up...

Re: Okay, lets talk Toddlers and Christmas decorations...

Well, I am hoping the novelty ran out....she didn't really touch it much after this afternoon. I was able to put the ornaments back on that she took off and she left them there, left the garland alone as well.

The ornaments that I have on the bottom are wooden ones and little crocheted snowflakes, so she can't hurt them....I guess I just don't want her to touch them that much but it's not really all that possible.