Christmas Tree+15 month old =

[Jenn Lynn]

disaster?

Any tips for keeping your tree in one piece with a toddler? I really want to put it up, but I know that it will just be one big toy to DD.

Any advice?

 

[Luv2Dream]

When my DD was that age, we decorated mostly the upper portion of the tree. Anything her height was soft without steel hooks. You might also want to consider tying the tree up with fishing line so it can't be pulled down onto the child. I also didn't put out any presents until Christmas morning. She would have ripped them open.

 

[amid chaos]

We bought a very small tree that year and put it on a table...it's only for one year.

 

[C.Ann]

Do you have one of those portable play-yard things? You know - looks like a white fence? Put the tree INSIDE that..

Or - have your DH or whoever - wrap fishing line around the trunk of the tree (about halfway up) and then tie it off to two corners of the room..

If none of that is feasible, put large (non-choking) decorations all around the lower branches of the tree..

Oh - and NO tinsel where the baby can get it!!

Good luck!

 

[Laurabearz]

When our kids were younger (lol they are 3 and 2 now LOL) we had a small tree on a table...... last year we bought a large fake tree (gasp) and things were touch and go......

This year we let the kids decorate the bottom of the tree and I did the top...... plus anytime they start monking with it I say, I will take it all down........ That has kept them in check.......

But the small tree on the table worked great....... I would suggest NOT putting a table cloth on the table though..... one tug and

 

[Krisu]

I remember having a small tabletop tree when DS was that age, and nothing within arms reach

 

[Kermit]

I was going to suggest putting it in a playpen or something similar like C.Ann said. I've seen that listed in several baby books. If your family is like mine, you probably got lots of things to put the baby in when you were expecting.

 

[MerryPoppins]

I put a table in the playpen and a small tree on top of the table. I put all the gifts around the bottom of the table, within view but out of reach.

The first year that it was within reach, I left off all the precious ornaments. We used lots of rugged ornaments for a while. Good luck.

 

[Minnie824]

We have a 14 month old DD who loves to get into things, but we've actually had 2 christmas trees up for a few weeks now. She was VERY excited when the tree was going up and wanted to touch all the ornaments, etc. We let her point at them and touch them, but if she started to try to yank one down, we told her not to do that. Now, shes kindof used to them. She'll go look, and if someone new comes over, she'll go show them the tree, but its not as big of a deal anymore. I'd definitely put the tree up then just go from there. Good luck.

 

[aprincessmom]

DD was always fine with the tree. She was 11 months old for the first one and had a great time touching ornaments and watching the lights. Never had any trouble.

I have a friend who swears by the tree in the playpen or gated tree. Her boys went nuts about the tree and this way they could look and enjoy without destroying by accident.

 

[Breezy_Carol]

When DS was that age, we were able to but the tree in a room we didn't use as much and put a gate across the doorway. That way he was only in there when we were.

 

[disykat]

We had pretty good luck with putting the tree in a corner and using a fireplace screen we weren't using to block access. One side was already blocked by the tv and another by the hearth so the screen was just enough to cover. Even though they could have easily knocked it over, the visual barrier was enough to do the trick. It was also easy to remove when the kiddos were in bed.

 

[BethR]

We have tied the tree up.

I have fond memories of Ann - DD#2 who is 19 now - pulling over the tree when she was 7 months old. I called DH at work. He came home at lunch, righted the tree, and tied the tree to our drapery hardware. We tied trees up for many years after that just as a precaution.

But is has been a while since we have tied up our Christmas tree. Katherine, our youngest, is 9.

 

[ByTheSea]

Our tree (fake) was too big for the playpen, so we tied the tree to secure it (hooks in the walls on either side) put the breakable ornaments and glass tree top on display on a high shelf, only unbreakable ornaments on the tree, and put the playpen (that DS never liked to be in anyway) behind the tree with the presents inside the playpen.

 

[WillyJ]

Some barbed wire ought to do the trick. . .