Psychologist warns moving children’s baubles may undermine their confidence

A child psychologist has warned that regularly rearranging or removing children’s Christmas decorations may make them feel their efforts are not good enough. She says decorating the tree can give children a chance to express themselves and feel included in family traditions, so parents should consider accepting its imperfections.

The warning follows a survey of 2,000 parents commissioned by Crayola: three in ten said they secretly redecorate the tree, nearly half move children’s baubles and 15 per cent remove decorations. Two thirds feel pressure to create a picture-perfect tree, while 41 per cent believe a tree should tell a family’s story; Dr Becky Spelman suggested giving children their own branch or a small tree as a compromise.