Christmas Pro (Parenting) Tip

       We really love decorating for and celebrating Christmas. Like, a lot. We have multiple Christmas trees, a thriving village, and a great number of other decorations. But today I wanted to write briefly about one of my favorite Christmas items: Logan's tree. 
       When I worked retail, my manager recommended that parents get a tree for their kids to decorate. Remembering this piece of advice, we got Logan a tree when he was just a baby. At first I decorated it with ornaments that were generic, but as he began to collect ornaments he began to get excited about decorating his tree each year. Bonus: when he came home from preschool or Sunday school with a handmade ornament that I wasn't keen to hang on our main tree, I could say, "That is beautiful! Let's go hang it on YOUR tree." Don't get me wrong. I love a good handmade ornament and have several on our tree, but it's nice having a place where I can send the plethora that come home each year. For many years we decorated it together and I taught him how to put on lights and garland. Now, at 12, he's collected a sizable amount of ornaments and a village to sit under the tree. The independence to be creative with his own holiday decor has given him confidence and a sense of ownership. 
       Small trees are relatively inexpensive and take up only a minor amount of space. This year let your kid or kids go wild and demonstrate their holiday cheer by decorating their own tree and save yourself the awkward conversation about why the foam reindeer would look best in the back of the tree. 

       For toddlers or young preschoolers who want in on the decorating action, but aren't ready for their own tree, I recommend a felt tree. Happy toddlers can take ornaments off and on, decorate presents, and happily make a mess all while remaining quiet and safe. Well, at least safe.