[annaguat]

Originally Posted by melissa41

We use to joke we would put the tree up on Christmas Eve and take it down Christmas day. Now that doesn't seem so far-fetched!

Oh that is how I feel. DH and the rest of the family is not with me though but then they are not the ones dealing with the mess. Anna

[afl]

Originally Posted by annaguat

Oh that is how I feel. DH and the rest of the family is not with me though but then they are not the ones dealing with the mess. Anna

I hear you on that one!! I really didn't want to put a tree up since the only place we can put it that's safe from the cats(yep, toddler and cats to worry about) is in the playroom and this is the room at the front of the house anyway, so the best place to have it by the front window.

But, DH insisted it will be fine. I feel like offering to trade places with him until the holidays are over. I'll go to work for him and he can stay home and figure out how to keep the grabbiest 2 1/2 year-old ever to live out of the tree.

[DeeVee]

Originally Posted by jimanddarla

I've seen these folding "gates" that are sold in catalogs that are supposed to keep toddlers away from the Christmas tree but Abe would just pick it up and toss it aside like the Incredible Hulk!

Yes, those play yards and folding gates aren't worth it. Well, I guess it depends on the kid (my oldest DS was deterred by them) - but they don't stop Jesse or Clair-Elise.

[mommyto2guatboys]

My concern isn't my kids, it's my darn cat!! He won't stop climbing the tree, and we have an artificial tree so with all of th climbing my tree looks like a charlie brown tree! He's at it again! He's like another child!

Magen
My family!

[Slatond10]

Nothing breakable on our tree just huggable! :-) ( old pic, Got the tree up Sunday but we haven't placed our stuffed animals yet.)

[dac_cincy]

Our trees went up on Wednesday- one little tree with his ornaments and one tree with my ornaments. His tree has the trains, tractors and motorcylces in addition to others- so far he has broken the little motorcylce 2 times, the big motorcycle once, the navitity scene (joseph) lost his head on Saturday. The trains have all lost thier hitches. At this point, Bug is not allowed to touch the ornaments.
But I feel bad- the tree is for his ornaments and he loves to play with the ornaments- so does it really matter that he destorys them all in one year- they are just things and things can be replaced??? His memories of enjoying the tree and enjoying his ornaments is worth more than the ornaments. So I think as of tonight I am going to let him play with his ornaments again and just let go of my desire to have these ornaments for his children.

Love to you,
Deb

[WJarman]

I have only non-breakable ornaments which helps. Last year I had the big tree in the family room and placed the play yard around it. It took some time to convince the kiddos not to climb over the gates but eventually they got. Then when I went to take the tree down I found 2 forks, a juice box, several small toys and quite a few other objects in and behind the tree. I guess they figured out that if they couldn't get in to play with it, they would just throw things at it!

This year I have a small tree on a table with only decorations that they can play with safely. The big tree is upstairs and strictly off limits. I will still use only un-breakable ornaments on it, but at least it has a chance of surviving the toddler on-slaught.

[brink]

My MIL had three little ones all within three years. She used to put their tree in the playpen. Anyone remember those? Can't quite imagine it, but it worked for her.

[Guatemom]

lol....aaah, yes. We're there, too. This year, I've opted for 'toy' like ornaments (actually some WERE toys, and we sat them on the tree, ie the mini Sesame St figurines from the Dollar Tree), and the other night I got SHATTERPROOF bulbs from Walmart. Hmmm...we'll see how shatterproof they really are once Cristian and my cat put them thru the test

[judymend]

Last year Peter Jack was 19 months old at Christmas, he did really well with the "breakable" ornaments, I was really pleasantly surprised! We have a train around the tree tradition now, and of course, 2007 was our first year...I think this really helped with distracting from the actual tree and focusing more on the train and track and music that came from it, he loved it and so did we!!! This year, we purchased another train set, again, our tradition now except we have moved to one of our investment properties and have a much, much smaller space to work with, therefore, I purchase ALL shatterproof ornaments, see pics below...the tree is not a real one this year either, due to space but we found this really nice one in Home Depot which Peter Jack is just amazed with. He helped put the tree together, including hanging the ornaments up...he loved it and I think it gave a sense of care for the pieces and his now "beautiful tree" as he refers to it ...they are all shatterproof but he doesn't touch them to knock them over, he comes near them to see how pretty they are. He also has an ornament from his Uncle/Godparents (my brother), which is breakable and he hung it up himself and points to it and tells us who gave it to him, its also a tradition they have started with Peter Jack, I can't wait to see this years' special ornament . Also, the Nativity Set you see Peter Jack with is the Most Precious Gift we brought back with us from Guatemala for Peter Jack and the family! He loves it!

108A.jpg 108E.jpg108C.jpg

108G.jpg 108B.jpg108I.jpg

[mommytoEli]

when eli was 1....he had just learned to throw a ball....we cheered whenever he did it...imagine his surprise when we did not cheer when he would throw the shiny silver ones he found on the tree. we lost a lot of ornaments that year before we just game up and were glad we didn't have any ornaments up that were sentimental. lol.

[myrachel]

I havent put up a tree in many years mainly b/c of the cat but this year with Rachel home I was so guilted into it.. I got a tiny charlie brown prelit tree with candy canes & put it on top of a table... she cant reach.. LOL.. otherwise Iwould spend my day picking up the tree
It works for this year

[SKL]

Originally Posted by mommytoEli

when eli was 1....he had just learned to throw a ball....we cheered whenever he did it...imagine his surprise when we did not cheer when he would throw the shiny silver ones he found on the tree. we lost a lot of ornaments that year before we just game up and were glad we didn't have any ornaments up that were sentimental. lol.

My wee one did this with the light-up jack-o-lanterns that Auntie gave the girls. Oops, they don't bounce, even if you throw them down hard. Who knew they weren't balls?

[Dmitry'smom]

Originally Posted by nannyisme2004

My cousin has twins - 2yrs old. Last year when they were getting ready to turn two she put up a paper tree. I loved it! She cut out a tree out of the big colored paper (like they use in the elementary schools - butcher paper?) and her and her kids made ornaments out of different things (using paper plates, glitter, etc.). And she stuck it on the wall in the living room. It was so creative and looked great. They had fun doing it and there was nothing to knock down.

That is an awesome idea! I might do that in my daughters room!

[Guatemom]

Originally Posted by mommytoEli

when eli was 1....he had just learned to throw a ball....we cheered whenever he did it...imagine his surprise when we did not cheer when he would throw the shiny silver ones he found on the tree. we lost a lot of ornaments that year before we just game up and were glad we didn't have any ornaments up that were sentimental. lol.

ROFL SOOOOO HARD!!!!!!!!!!!!
Come on, ma, cheer!!!! lol