You're Going to Want to Try This Viral Hack for Babyproofing Your Christmas Tree

Let me paint a picture for you: You've just finished putting up the Christmas tree and positioning the lights and ornaments *just so* when—what's that?—your young child is ready to wreak havoc on the halls you just decked.

Hasn't happened to you yet? Oh, it will my friends, it will. My toddler spent the first few days after our tree was up ripping off the child-safe Disney ornaments that seemed to draw him in even more than I had imagined they would. It was like moths to a flame, I tell you. After about a week the excitement wore off and he's since moved on to terrorizing his elf on the shelf. I don't know about you, but having to keep an eye on your little ones around your tree is not exactly a holiday activity I want to spend much time on.

But Christmas tree safety is no joke. Sure, thinking about babyproofing your holiday decorations is a mere annoyance for the majority of parents, but holiday-related injuries can happen. And when it comes to young children, you can never be too safe. That's why you've probably seen—or tried—any number of holiday safety solutions to keep delicate ornaments away from the kiddos or prevent an adventurous toddler from toppling the whole tree. Sure, perfectly-positioned baby gates, kid-friendly felt trees, and completely-bare trees one-third of the way down work, but there's a new Christmas tree safety hack going viral—and you're going to want to try it, pronto.

The latest hack to keep babies and toddlers away from the Christmas tree? A faux-present barrier. It's like a DIY baby gate that fits right in with your holiday decor. Here's how to copy it at home:

• Grab a few larger boxes—perhaps from your online holiday shopping—and fill them up with heavy items so they don't move easily. Think: books, rocks, or your normal home accents that you're stashing away until after the holidays.
• Bust out the wrapping paper and wrap those bad boys.
• Use some tape (clear packing tape works great!) to keep all of your boxes together, forming a barrier in front of the tree.

I've seen this hack floating around my social media the past few days and it's left me wondering: Why didn't I think of that? It's so simple, does the trick, and blends right in with the other gifts under your tree.

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Sure, your kid might be drawn to the gifts and try to unwrap them—making a mess of its own—but, at the end of the day, you've got to pick your battles. A little wrapping paper on the floor beats a holiday accident any day.