The Christmas season is upon us, pandas! So if you celebrate, it’s time to decorate that tree and turn your home into a cozy, twinkling winter wonderland. There’s no question that Christmas is a bit more magical when you’re a kid, but that doesn’t mean adults shouldn’t get to embrace it too!
That’s why one mom recently decided that she would give her toddler’s tree a DIY makeover. But after sharing her tutorial online, viewers had a lot to say… Below, you’ll find the full video that Nattie Jo Powell posted on TikTok, as well as some of the replies viewers left.
Decorating the Christmas tree can be a magical bonding experience for parents and children to share
Image credits: Gustavo Fring / Pexels (not the actual photo)
But when this mom decided to give her toddler’s tree a “makeover,” she caused quite the controversy online
Image credits: nattiejopo
"Go ahead and call me crazy or a sad beige mom for what I'm about to do. Today I'm giving the 'Step 2 My First Christmas tree' a total makeover. I'm leaning into my inner Pinterest mom with the vision to neutralize the tree, and I can already hear you thinking that I'm going to ruin my toddler's Christmas by painting over these colors.
Let's be real, my daughter's favorite toys are brown cardboard boxes and clear plastic water bottles. So I really think that she's a neutral girlie at heart."
Image credits: nattiejopo
Nattie shared her step by step process of spray painting her daughter’s tree
"After taking a good long look at the tree I headed over to Lowe's where I picked out all of our spray paint colors. Once I decided which colors of spray paint to use on each part, it was go time."
"I originally wanted to paint the body of the tree brown, but then I realized, you know what, I want my tree to look a little bit alive. So here I am painting an already green tree another shade of green. It gave it a very realistic Christmas tree look which I love."
Image credits: nattiejopo
"The gold was way less gold than what I was thinking for the star, but I actually kind of dig the brass antique look. For the tree skirt, I used this satin color paint. When it was time to paint the ornaments, I just took some painter's tape and I covered the little ornament hooks with those. I wanted to keep those white. After a few hours when the paint dried, I was able to go in with a coat on the backside of the trees and all that was left to do was to let it sit and dry overnight."
Image credits: nattiejopo
Finally, she revealed the neutral result
"It was almost time for the moment of truth and see how it all looked together. After putting on the star part of me wants to go back in and add some type of glitter or shine on it.
Image credits: nattiejopo
Here's how the DIY ornaments turned out. Honestly, I love them, they're definitely giving organic modern vibe. Might even go back into add some little velvet ribbon bows along the hooks.
Image credits: nattiejopo
"Here's how the tree turned out and what it looks like in our space"
Image credits: nattiejopo
You can see Nattie’s full tutorial right here
Image credits: Karolina Grabowska / Pexels (not the actual photo)
Parents tend to go all out for their little ones during Christmas time
When I was a child, Christmas was by far the most magical day of the year. I loved all of the lights, the seasonal films, the delicious food, decorating the tree with my family and of course, the excitement of opening presents in my pajamas with my brothers. While I still love the holiday today, I have to admit that the day feels more like it should be for kiddos. And if you’re a parent, I’m sure the holiday has become all about your little ones.
According to the New York Post, 35% of American parents plan to spend between $50-$150 per child on Christmas gifts, and 19% say they’ll spend over $200 on each kid’s gifts. But it’s not all about presents. Many aspects of the holiday can be magical for little ones, including the tree.
If you’re a mom or dad who has to have a perfect tree and you can’t bear the idea of someone else decorating it, it might be wise to get your children their own tree to deck out however they like. Just keep in mind that if you’re providing them with a tree, it should be theirs. Some supervision is likely necessary when they hang up their ornaments, but allowing them creative control can be great for their imagination and artistic expression.
Image credits: cottonbro studio / Pexels (not the actual photo)
Learning and being exposed to colors is an important part of a child’s development
In responses to Nattie’s video on TikTok, many viewers pointed out the important role colors play in a child’s development. From about 5 months old, a baby’s color vision is well developed, so it’s recommended that they’re exposed to bright colors frequently from that point on. Utilizing colors can even help kids learn, as one 2018 study found that using colors can help kids understand new topics.
Colors are also linked to emotions, so the more children understand how to differentiate colors and how each makes them feel, the better they may be able to express themselves. For example, a young child may have a hard time using words to explain how they’re feeling, but if they draw a picture, the colors they use might help parents understand where they’re at.
According to childhood development expert Jody LeVos, PhD, learning colors can even help children develop their language skills. LeVos told The Bump that as babies age, they tend to have a preference for bright primary colors. “Toys and objects in these hues could be especially interesting for them (as opposed to more muted hues like pastels),” she explained. These colors are attention grabbing, and parents can teach their children the words for each color by pointing out that "the truck is blue" or that "their blue truck is the same color as their blue pillow," for example.
Image credits: Pavel Danilyuk / Pexels (not the actual photo)
While a neutral aesthetic at home isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, it’s likely harmless for kids
As far as the comments that called Nattie a “sad beige mom” go, this term has recently popped up on the internet as neutral colors have become all the rage in home design and on social media. And while this trend might not be your cup of tea, Dr. Roberta Michnick Golinkoff, a psychologist and professor at the University of Delaware, told TODAY.com that it’s probably harmless.
"I don't think children are going to be deprived," Golinkoff says. "I just think the mothers should invest in Spray 'n Wash. If your kid is wearing all beige, every stain shows up." As long as kids still have the opportunity to explore colors through painting or creating art projects and are exposed to bright colors through the real world and in books, they likely aren’t going to have any problems.
We would love to hear your thoughts on this “sad beige” Christmas tree in the comments below, pandas. Do you think Nattie’s DIY project was a success, or would you have left the tree how it originally was? Feel free to share, and then if you’re interested in reading another Bored Panda article discussing Christmas tree decorations, look no further than right here!
The video was quickly met with backlash from viewers
