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View Full Version : How do we protect our Christmas tree from a curious 9 month old?



KimberleyDawn
11-17-2003, 11:01 AM
What is everyone else doing to keep Christmas safe but still beautiful?
Advice, suggestions, comments (lol)....
Kim

Momof3Labs
11-17-2003, 04:00 PM
Well, this is our first year having to worry about this, too, but we plan to put the tree up in our living room (which is limited, supervised access for Colin) and not put any breakable ornaments on the tree. Or at least no ornaments that could shatter/break into sharp pieces.

Another option is to put a playyard around the tree, but to me, that ruins the look. You could also anchor the tree to the ceiling and the wall(s) so that it can't fall down.

There have been several discussions about this on the Lounge - you might want to check them out!

NEVE and TRISTAN
11-18-2003, 12:27 AM
I have to preface this with that I love design...I love interior design...that I am obsessed with colors, decorating, collecting etc...

I feel like I have to put that out there or you'll laugh in my face or think I'm on drugs...and I cringe to share this but I swear it looks awesome...and I have a little proof!!!!

Two years ago I walked into a trendy boutique and they had a massive fake evergreen hanging from the ceiling!!!!! It was bushy up top and thin towards the bottom, heavily decorated with ornaments that showed up even better since the way they were hung...
I spent the whole next year imagining that "look" and wondering how the owner of the boutique got that look, I remembered her saying jokingly "I'm up for selling it" (even though the look made the store)...

So last year I went in to inquire...it was hung up again...I studied it and I swear it was a fake Christmas Tree hanging upside down from the ceiling!!!! Where the trunk was was a HUGE bow and then at the tip (bottom) was another pretty bow cascading...it honest to god was the prettiest Christmas decor I have ever seen!!!!

So this year...it's back up and I love it so
BUT EVEN BIGGER NEWS...last months SOUTHERN LIVING magazine had a couple's (older couple with tons of granchildren)house featured. It appeard to be a mansion with the greatest decor...and that gal hung her tree from the ceiling!!!!! Now her tree was not upside down...but it was clearly hung from the ceiling and they even made note of it!!!!

We have minimal ornaments, but those I have are pretty expensive and I am going to start doing this I think...

LisaMom2Allie
11-18-2003, 01:44 AM
That certainly sounds interesting. Lately, my magazines are stacking up and collecting dust since I haven't had time to look at them. I am trying to decide how I want to decorate this year since DD is starting to get into things.
This may sound stupid but how exactly do you hang it upside down from the ceiling? Do you just use a couple of those big hooks and screw them into your ceiling? It looks like that would leave holes in the plaster/sheet rock or whatever when you are finished.
Please let us know how to do it. I am seriously interested-it would definitely elicit some interesting comments from family and friends, not to mention how practical it actually would be.

Lisa
Mom to Allie Nicole
3-10-03

KimberleyDawn
11-18-2003, 12:03 PM
I tried going to Southern Living's website for a picture of this *hanging tree* but I can't figure out which article it is. Are you able to post a link?
Kim

NEVE and TRISTAN
11-18-2003, 02:18 PM
I'm going ot try to get tot he boutique and get a picutre of the upside down one, she has it over a table and I swear it is stunning!!!

The one in Southern Living is also gorgeous but I can't say it looks better than the upside down one-I really like the upside down one!!!
But I jsut went thru Southern Living and will try to see if it is on the web.
The issue is the November one with a roast beef dish on the front and a cheesecake of sorts on the front cover.
******I think southern Living has differnt formats for where in the States you live-I'm not certain but I think they do!!!!************
BUT this article is on page 162 of mine, and the tree is in the picutre, the article is titled "FAMILY CHRISTMAS IN NEW ORLEANS"...I really imagine presents under it looking so pretty.

I think they hang them with those thick white hooks...I know last year the thought of it had me worry about the hook in the ceiling, but for some reason this year I feel like if I painted the hook it might go unnoticed-I do wonder if you could just "putty" it every year, but that might wear down the "hold"...if you could that would take seconds. My ceilings are two stories high so the hook would not be as obvious for me, and this house in the picutre also has high ceilings...

I can't find it on the web...I do have the new copy of SL for December but I get it via the mail...check stores for the November issue...or the library if we can't find it!!!
Neve
AKA "mama2be"-forgot password
and Baby Boy Tristan born @UNC
Feb 25, 2003
Brother to 3 pups "gees" and 2 kitties

jec2
11-18-2003, 06:04 PM
My mom actually does something similar over our dining room table. There used to be two lights that she has removed and now hangs the top portions (about 18-24") of two fake x-mas trees there. As I recall she only puts small white lights on them (which she connects to the old light-fixture wires) and then dangles something from the top (which is actually the bottom since its hanging upside down). Anyway, it looks so great and so many people compliment her on them. She hasn't yet done this with the big tree, but if she sees that Southern Living magazine, she just might--she'll try anything. Last year it was a bird-themed tree w/birds (not real), nests and a long, white feather boa strung throughout! I poo-pood it, sight unseen, but once I saw it, I thought it looked really special. Anyway, sort of off topic from the original post, my apologies. :)

NEVE and TRISTAN
11-18-2003, 10:59 PM
I'd love to see pics!!!
I hope I didn't "rail road" us to "off topic" I actually posted the tree from the ceiling thinking it was a 'safe" and "baby proof" idea to handle the tree :)...so I thought we were "on topic"...:)

Neve
AKA "mama2be"-forgot password
and Baby Boy Tristan born @UNC
Feb 25, 2003
Brother to 3 pups "gees" and 2 kitties

KimberleyDawn
11-19-2003, 09:40 AM
Neve,
We're a little off topic but this is interesting so it's okay ;).
Kim

JenaW
11-19-2003, 02:56 PM
Neve,
If you get a pic of the tree...either from the store or the mag, I would LOVE to see it. I can't visualize it well, but the concept sounds good! Now you have me thinking. Do you need high ceilings though....I am not sure how a tree would fit in our house that way unless it was a mini one. Hmmmm.

Jera
Mom to Carter ~ 05.13.03

NEVE and TRISTAN
11-20-2003, 10:44 PM
I've been imagining it with lower ceilings, and I bet if it is not upside down it would look funny...I imagine it would look like it was hanging just a foot off the ground and that the "base" was missing (but I don't know just trying to imagine in my head)...

But I think upsdie down it would marvelous if the "peak" was low to the ground. I really am hoping to get a picture, I jsut don't get out there much to where it is at, but would love to show the picture of it, it is gorgeous!!!
Neve
AKA "mama2be"-forgot password
and Baby Boy Tristan born @UNC
Feb 25, 2003
Brother to 3 pups "gees" and 2 kitties

KimberleyDawn
11-21-2003, 09:52 AM
NEVE!!!
<rant beginning>
STOP TEASING US AND GET A PICTURE!!!!! I NEED YOU TO GET ONE SO PEOPLE STOP LOOKING AT ME WEIRD WHEN I SUGGEST IT!!!!!!
<rant over>
Love ya,
Kim

NEVE and TRISTAN
11-21-2003, 11:21 AM
We're on our way out...we'll take our camera...I assume this gal will let me take a picture of it...I'll have one up today!!!
We're heading to DC tonight so I won't be around for the conversation that proceeds...:)but I'll make DH take a picture (I don't know how to upload pics so I'll need him to help)...:)
Neve
AKA "mama2be"-forgot password
and Baby Boy Tristan born @UNC
Feb 25, 2003
Brother to 3 pups "gees" and 2 kitties

JenaW
11-21-2003, 12:25 PM
OMG I am so excited. Kim, I am right there with you...my husband looked at me as if I WAS upside down when I mentioned it. He thought I was insane. I can not wait to see this pic!!! Neve, you are the best. I hope she lets you snap a pic!


Jera
Mom to Carter ~ 05.13.03

NEVE and TRISTAN
11-21-2003, 05:35 PM
I so hope they do it justice, they were very nice when I told them I had folks telling me "produce a picutre" :)...they laughed and said "of course" !!!! So I hope these pics do it justice, Steve had to use his camcorder because his media card to his camera is acting up. So the quality is not as good.
This is our first attempt at shutterfly too...I think the picutre of it in it's entirty is the last picture. She did give us specific info on how to hang if anyone is interested (we taped it on camera) :)...

Here you go...again I hope this does it justice. She said they coat it with ornaments so an expensive tree is not necessary!!!! She said this is one is from Micheals!!!!

http://www.shutterfly.com/osi.jsp?i=67b0de21b35ace28e413&notag=1

I jsut looked at the pics and the qulaity really does not do it justice but I hope you can tell what it kind of looks like. They have it over a small table!!! :)


Neve
AKA "mama2be"-forgot password
and Baby Boy Tristan born @UNC
Feb 25, 2003
Brother to 3 pups "gees" and 2 kitties

JenaW
11-21-2003, 06:13 PM
AAAAAGH! Can someone tell me why I can't see them. I follow the link to the first page where the one is and it says view pictures. Then I click on that, and it goes to the page with all four as thumbnails. But when I try to click on the thumbnails to make them bigger or view as a slideshow, it goes to the login page. SO I login, and then it goes to MY albums, and I still can't see Neve's pictures. HELP!

BTW< thank you Neve!
Jera
Mom to Carter ~ 05.13.03

Denyse
11-22-2003, 01:00 PM
I haven't gotten to read the other replies but our creative solution is to set the tree up in the pack n play. :) He never uses it anyhow. The bottom branches will be squished but he still gets the benefit of seeing a beautiful tree (top, at least) with twinkling lights. :)

s7714
11-22-2003, 03:01 PM
I think the easiest solution is to simply fence in your tree (instead of putting the playard around the baby, set it up around the tree :) ).

We may also do something similar to what we do simply to keep our cats away from the tree...we raise the tree up about 2 1/2 feet off the floor so it's setting on a large box platform (that I've wrapped in Cmas paper). But, that said, I know not everyone has ceilings high enough to allow something like that (ours are over 18 feet in the living room)--that's why I think fencing in the tree is the easiest option.

Jennifer

Annalia 03/03/03

KimberleyDawn
11-24-2003, 02:02 PM
Neve & Steve,
Thank you soooooo much! It really is a beautiful tree! I don't think we can pull it off with our 7 foot ceilings but you could. Are you going to give it a try?
Kim

NEVE and TRISTAN
11-24-2003, 06:24 PM
I'm glad you can see it- I was worried that our first attempt at shutterfly was not working, but it seemed to work when we logged on...

We are going to do it, but I don't know if this year...I think we need a lot of ornaments to pull it off and we have so few, but after chrsitams we want to purchase a 12 foot faux tree to do it with. And then purchase our ornaments too. I so know the colors and the look I want so that will help to get after chrsitmas prices. But I love the look!!!


Neve
AKA "mama2be"-forgot password
and Baby Boy Tristan born @UNC
Feb 25, 2003
Brother to 3 pups "gees" and 2 kitties

Melanie
11-25-2003, 12:47 PM
You won't believe this, but probably 40 or 50 years ago my mom's "eccentric aunt" did the upside down tree thing and it's still memorable...LOL

Anyway, we put our tree in a room that can be gated off if necessary. I will probably also take some clear fishing line and tie it to the walls in the middle (it's in a corner) so that if something happens it won't land on Ds and injure him.

muskiesusan
11-25-2003, 08:43 PM
My uncle did an upside down tree about 40 years ago as well! My mom said it was really neat, but my Grandma wasn't very happy with him (it was in her house).

We anchor our tree to the wall. Last year Nick was 14 months and actually pretty much left the tree alone, much to our surprise as he was/is into everything. With him anyway, putting a gate around things makes him more interested, so like last year, I am just putting it up as normal and then babyproofing if needed.

Susan
Mom to Nicholas 10/01/01
& Baby #2 due 4/23/04!!!!

ak_becky_book
12-15-2003, 08:32 PM
I put my tree on a card table. My walking, grabbing one year old child can reach up on the table, and get anything on the low branches that hangs down (I had to rescue a candy cane). But, it keeps her out of it and is still very pretty. It would look better if the table was nicer (but I am very frugal and am not buying a new table), the presents totally cover the table anyways. I arrange the presents on the table with the heavy big ones on the reachable edge(she can't get them if they are not hand holdable or grabable).

I looked and did not see the table solution, so I thought I would post it. The upside down tree looks and sounds cool, but I was lucky to get the right side up tree done.

Happy Holidays

Rebecca
Mom to Samantha
12/1/02