Do You Let Your Children Decorate The Christmas Tree?
Oh, the joy of Christmas! Stores filled with Christmas decorations, the familiar sound of Christmas Carols filling every public space, the growing urgency to get Christmas lists marked off and presents wrapped ready for the big day. Not to mention the ever illuminating twinkle of Christmas lights glowing through the neighbourhood.
Let’s not forget that somewhere in the rush of the festive season, the Christmas tree has to go up, and the house has to be decorated. As fun as those moments can be, we all know that Christmas decorating with kids can have its own stressful moments.
We recently heard about families who choose to exclude the kids from tree decorating to save arguments and stress. While we understand the concept, and the reasoning behind it, we can’t help but wonder if the magic of Christmas isn’t totally lost if we don’t include children in the Christmas tree decorating and spend time together as a family during such a special season?
Here Are Our Tips For Decorating The Xmas Tree Stress Free
1. Get The Christmas Tree Up Early
If you’re a super organised Christmas lover, it may just be that your Christmas tree is up and decorated in October or November, or perhaps on December 1st. For others, it’s that annoying moment where arguments happen over who wants to hang which Christmas decoration where on the tree, whether the decorations are balanced on the tree, or perhaps even over who gets to place the Christmas tree topper.
It might feel like life is too busy to fit in the Christmas tree celebrations, but we promise you, if you make time early in the festive season, you won’t feel overwhelmed with time sensitive pressure, making the moment easy to enjoy.
If you leave it to the last minute to put up the Christmas tree, you’ll just feel extra pressure and stress because you know you’re running behind, you know you owe it to the family to get the tree up, and it just becomes an entirely stressful event that it didn’t have to be.
Start early. It’s less stressful.
2. Embrace The Beauty Of Christmas Tree Imperfection
Remember that perfection is overrated. Read that again - perfection is overrated. It can be tempting to make your Xmas tree look like a Pinterest-worthy masterpiece of perfection, but we promise you, the perfect symmetry of your Christmas tree is definitely not what your children will remember, nor is it what you will look back on in years to come.
Christmas tree decorating with kids should be all about fun, creativity, and making memories. Let them hang those Christmas baubles and Christmas ornaments wherever they please, even if it means a few clumps of decorations in one spot. It’s their chance to express themselves and create something unique.
3. Choose Child Friendly Christmas Ornaments
When you’re shopping for Christmas decorations, consider choosing child-friendly ornaments that are easy for little hands to hang. Choosing wooden Christmas ornaments or at the very least not choosing fragile ornaments goes a long way to making Christmas tree decorating a child-friendly process.
At Koh Living, we offer a delightful collection of wooden Christmas ornaments that feature Indigenous and Aboriginal art. These ornaments are not only beautiful but also durable, making them perfect for little hands. Why not let your kids choose their favourite designs for an extra level of interaction and togetherness?
4. Think Safety First
Ensure that your Christmas tree is securely anchored to prevent any accidents. While it may seem unlikely, during all the fun, kids can get excited and may accidentally topple the tree while reaching for those top branches.
For young children where choking or putting things in their mouths could be a problem, check that your ornaments and decorations are child-safe. Try to avoid small parts that could be a choking hazard.
5. Create Christmas Tree Traditions Unique To You
Make decorating the Christmas tree a cherished family tradition. Play some festive tunes, write letters to Santa, watch a Christmas movie or decorate a handmade Christmas ornament to add to the tree.
Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that Christmas tree decorating as a family has to be anyone, perfect way. Dare to be different, dare to be flexible, and do what makes you happy as a family. If there’s something you all love to do together around Christmas time, include it in your new Christmas traditions. Even the smallest of traditions will make the experience more special for your children and something they look forward to each year.
6. DIY Decorations Are A Great Family DIY Moment
Encourage your kids to get creative by making their own decorations. Whether it’s temporary decorations made from supplies like paper, glue and glitter, or something fancier from a store bought ‘decorate your own’ style art pack, kids love to get creative, and you’ll love remembering these precious moments as they get older.
We know it’s more time out of your very busy schedule, but we promise - These homemade ornaments will add a personal touch to your tree and become treasured keepsakes.
7. Delegate Tasks Among Family Members
Assign specific tasks to your children based on their age and abilities. Younger kids can hand you the ornaments, while older ones can help arrange them on the tree. This way, everyone feels involved and has a role to play in the decorating process. Again, there’s no one way to do tree decorating ceremonies. Do what works for your family, but don’t hesitate to get everyone involved at a level that’s age appropriate for them.
8. Be Patient. Be Patient. Be Patient.
Christmas tree decorating with kids can be chaotic, but it’s important to be patient and remember, that’s all part of the fun.
- Be patient and resist the urge to rearrange the ornaments once little hands have placed them.
- Be patient and resist the urge to hurry them up, even though it’s been a huge day and you’re all exhausted.
- Be patient and don’t stress about the mess of glitter and tinsel strewn across the floor.
It’s about embracing their creativity and letting them take ownership of the tree.
It’s about creating memories you will all cherish as time ticks by and makes this very moment seem oh so long ago.
9. Capture the Moment
Don’t forget to capture the moment with photos and videos. These memories are precious and something you’ll look back on fondly. Plus, your kids will love seeing how they’ve grown and how their decorating skills have evolved over the years.
Be sure to grab a pic of the person placing the tree topper each year. Some families swap the person tasked with this responsibility each year, where in other families it’s the same family member year in, year out. Which of these happens in your family?
10. Time It Right
Life is busy, and it’s likely there’s no perfect time that suits the entire family, but we recommend you try to choose the most convenient time possible to decorate the tree. Avoid doing it when everyone is tired or rushed. Set aside a relaxed afternoon or evening when you can all have some relaxed fun.
Try to avoid doing it on an evening or afternoon that follows an action packed sports day, or at the end of the school week. To make it even easier, plan a super easy dinner, or take-away meal so you don’t have to clean up after cooking.
11. Admire the Finished Christmas Tree Together
Once your tree is decorated with all the baubles and ornaments, take a step back and admire your masterpiece. It may not be magazine-perfect, but it’s a tree filled with love, creativity, and memories that will last a lifetime.
At Koh Living, we believe Christmas is a time for family, love, and celebrating traditions. Our Indigenous and Aboriginal art Christmas baubles and wooden ornaments are all about celebrating tradition and the love and connection of family and culture. Explore our new Christmas range and add a unique touch to your tree while supporting local artists.
Here’s to a happy, relaxed time together decorating the tree this year. Let your kids’ imaginations run wild, and enjoy the magic of a beautifully imperfect, kid-decorated tree. Happy decorating!