“Oh, Christmas tree, oh, Christmas tree! How lovely are thy branches? Oh, toddler twins, oh, toddler twins! How long will it take to destroy them?” Have no fear, mama. I have some tips for protecting your Christmas tree this holiday season.
Toddlers can make quick work of just about anything they set their minds to and, combined with curiosity, become almost unstoppable.
I spent the majority of the 2021 Christmas season figuring out the best way to keep my 21-month-old twins from destroying the tree while still being able to enjoy it. They participated in your standard grabbing, pulling, and shaking exploration and true to form, quickly leveled up to throwing things into the tree.
I learned quickly that I did not have the patience to dedicate myself to holding boundaries regarding Christmas tree etiquette that first year. If this is also you, I have a few options for protecting your Christmas tree this season.
I tried them all.
fake tree, real life saver
They have come a long way with faux trees, and there are options for any budget.
When it comes to protecting your Christmas tree, not having to battle the water or pine needles is worth the investment.
If one of your favorite traditions is the annual visit to your local Christmas tree farm, you can still go. Instead of hunting up the perfect tree to bring back with you, treat it as a holiday nature experience or photo opportunity.
Have your little one toddle through the groves of trees, touching branches and smelling the needles. Pack some cider or hot cocoa to take with you and maybe an extra friend to snap candids with your phone so you can enjoy.
Collect trimmings and create a wreath (or purchase a premade one), a centerpiece, or garland for the hearth to bring in that freshly cut tree smell.
A faux tree does not have to be a lifetime commitment. It’s ok to take a little off your plate for a couple of years while you get your bearings. Once your elves are older, you can always go back to a real tree.
Relocate it
Placing your tree in another room that your toddler doesn’t have free access to, such as an adjacent room separated by a baby gate, allows you to control the amount of contact they have with the tree so you aren’t having to redirect constantly.
Instead, you can allow a limited amount of supervised time where your toddler can learn to touch gently. They still experience the tree but you don’t have to get pushed to your breaking point. When boundaries start to get tested, you can take them to another room and try again another time.
We started with our tree in our dining room (pictured above) which was right off our living room through a large double door opening. I wanted to still be able to enjoy the tree while seated on the couch so it made for the best compromise.
Ultimately, I ran into the issue of not having enough space in the dining room. The tree, the gifts, and the family wouldn’t all fit comfortably while still functioning as a dining room.
I also didn’t have comfortable sufficient seating for everyone on Christmas morning so we quickly moved onto other ways of protecting the Christmas tree from our toddlers.
Create a barrier
Gift wrapping large boxes or using larger gifts as a barrier is a more decorative option for protecting your Christmas tree.
Quick Tip: use clear packing tape to seal corners and folded edges to keep packages from being opened prematurely.
Make sure you use weighted boxes to create the barrier. If you’re not using actual gifts, fill empty boxes with something heavy so your toddler can’t move them easily.
Additionally, don’t stack anything too high they could pull down onto themselves. Ideally, you want the barrier to have boxes large enough to be only one level but tall enough that they can’t climb on easily.
Where there’s a toddler will, there’s a way, so make sure they’re good and sturdy.
Since we were hosting an early Christmas with my husband’s family, I had plenty of large gifts to create a barrier after moving it back into the living room. That was fine until the celebration came and went, along with the gifts. This left us without a barrier, still a week before Christmas Day and I wasn’t taking my tree down.
fence it in
While scrolling Pinterest, I found a pin where someone used picket fencing around their Christmas tree. I fell in love with the idea so much I actually put up picket fencing around our pellet stove instead of a baby gate (see photo above) so we didn’t actually use this option.
You can purchase pre-fab fencing sections at your local hardware store that you can leave in their natural wooden state (I recommend sanding to avoid splinters) or paint. Create a full wrap-around or attach the ends to the walls with brackets. Make sure to include the doors so you can get in and out.
It’s a little more work, costs more than other options, requires a bit of creativity, and a DIY personality, but the result is adds a unique touch. Especially if you take it one step further by adding lights or garland for extra Christmas cheer.
repurpose your playard
Repurposing an oversized playard is a great solution for protecting your Christmas tree. My boys could barely reach the bottom branches with their fingertips, so they couldn’t tug or grab them.
Our tree sat almost entirely over the top of the frame, so I didn’t lose much of the view. If that concerns you, set it up on a box or low table to bring it up.
This option was the winner overall for us.
The tree remained in the main living area for maximum enjoyment for everyone. I was able to relax which made for a much more joyful season.
Note: it does nothing for throwing objects into the tree, which was a problem we had with the boys. However, it makes for a great “toy jail.” We just told them that whatever gets thrown in, stays in. It deterred them from throwing once they understood the consequence. The length of time can be at your discretion.
Of course, there is the tried and true decorate from the middle up and invest in a tree collar to minimize ornament catastrophes and tree water play (should you go the live tree route).
Toddlerhood, much like the holiday season, is temporary. Rather than fight my toddlers’ natural inclinations, I chose to make concessions for the time being to make for a more relaxing Christmas.
My boys will soon grow and learn the tree’s boundaries along with all the other seasonal baubles. Until then, a little pivoting for peace works for us.
