There’s a reason I didn’t buy any chocolate decorations...

There’s a reason I didn’t buy any chocolate decorations for our tree this year. I saw some very nice ones and I was a bit tempted, until I thought about the reality of it.

Unfortunately, a few days ago my darling Mother brought some round. She lovingly went through the whole nativity story with my boys. They put the character stickers onto the chocolates and hung them on the tree in order of appearance.

Very quaint.

Except they hung them all in one place - at dog height, so I moved them higher, still boy height, but not little terrier height.

However, ever since I’ve had constant requests;

“When can we eat the chocolates mummy?”

When we take the tree down, I reply.

“When can we take the tree down mummy?”

“Can we take it down mummy?”
“I don’t want the tree anymore; can we take it down mummy?”
“Can we eat the chocolates mummy?”
“Can I just have one mummy?”

I have since changed it to one each on Christmas day, then the rest when we take it down.

So now I get;

“Is it Christmas mummy?”

“It’s Christmas time, why can’t I have a chocolate?”

Its Christmas time, not Christmas day. There’s a difference.

“I don’t want the tree anymore; can we take it down mummy?”

Round and round in circles we go.

That’s what I needed, more stress, more reasons to refuse requests made by small boys, more things to keep a hawk-like eye on...

One chocolate has already suffered a terrible end. It was found by Daddy broken on the floor, so obviously someone was brave enough to get it down and break it into two, but not cocky enough to eat it (deep, deep down, they are good boys haha). Daddy put it in the fridge, but unfortunately I just ate it. Serves them right.

If I have to put up with much more of this I shall just give in. I believe in choosing my battles well, and this one just isn’t worth the hassle. It’s hard enough trying to get them to leave the advent calendar alone! (I am very tempted to fill it with small toys next year instead, but they would fish them out, play with them, and then return them. grrr). No one can expect a 3 and a 4 year old to cope with this kind of temptation. Only recently did Ed go into his auntie’s bedroom, found a Lindt chocolate bear she’d bought for a friend and came down to tell me about it. When she returned home it had an ear missing. He just couldn’t hack the temptation.

Chocolate and toddlers. They are powerless.

There’s a lovely story about very small me versus a chocolate covered cake, armed with a potato masher, but I won’t go into details.

Anyway, no more chocolate tree decorations! Christmas is stressful enough with two families to buy for, a business to run (which is busy at this time of year), parties to find dresses for, meals to plan, cards to write (& post on time!), etc, etc.

I’m tired. But still incredibly excited.

So I’ll crack on, still haven’t finished my shopping or wrapping, and I don’t give a toss if they eat the deccies.

Hilariously, I've just tried to go and take a photo of the chocolate deccies for your viewing pleasure but they are nowhere to be seen. Mmmm.