The Decision to Store Traditional Decorations
This year brought a unique challenge: how to decorate for the holidays in a way that was both realistic and safe for a baby. While I love Christmas, many traditional decorations can be highly breakable and not exactly baby-friendly.
Having recently moved, some of our belongings remain in storage, including what I call my “Christmas Chest” – an old chest from my grandmother filled with Christmas decorations and tree ornaments I’ve collected over the years. When I told my husband I didn’t need to bring it out yet, he was surprised. “I know how much you love Christmas,” he said. “Are you sure you don’t want it for this Christmas?”
Reimagining Christmas with Baby in Mind
While I treasure my ornament collection, I realized this year called for a different approach. It wasn’t just about preventing breakages – I wanted my daughter to fully enjoy her holiday too. There will be plenty of time for “glam trees” in the future. These precious early years will pass quickly enough.
Starting with Safe, Interactive Decorations
I discovered a felt Christmas tree online that seemed perfect – a “tree” my daughter would be encouraged to play with. It came with velcro ornaments she could take on and off, and I added some foam blocks from my teaching days as “presents” underneath. I set it up before Thanksgiving, giving her plenty of time to engage with it. I also placed an empty tree stand in the corner, thinking it would help establish boundaries and maybe let the novelty wear off before we added a real tree.
The Real Tree Adventure
When family visited during Thanksgiving, we seized the perfect opportunity to get our Christmas tree. After setting it up in our living room, we intentionally left it undecorated for a few days. This gave my daughter time to adjust to having a large tree in our space, and allowed me to observe how she interacted with it.
Creating Our “Baby-Friendly Glam Tree”
Drawing from my teaching experience, I knew about the variety of wooden craft ornaments available for children. These seemed perfect – safe if knocked down and offering potential for holiday activities. I imagined hosting a small party where children could decorate their own ornaments as take-home keepsakes.
To add some sparkle without compromising safety, I incorporated ribbon and other light decorative elements that could easily be adjusted or removed if needed. Everything on the tree is lightweight and unbreakable, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere for all ages. I even set aside half of our bell ornaments for my daughter’s music bin, giving her a personal collection to enjoy.
The Perfect Family Christmas
The result feels just right – a Christmas that’s family-focused, full of love and laughter, centered on the hope of baby Jesus, and still maintaining that dash of sparkle we all love during the holidays.
For more family adventures, check out our blog or travel page!
Leave a Reply