A VERY DISNEY WILDERNESS LODGE CHRISTMAS BEDROOM
Normally, at about this point during advent, I’m ripping my hair out over how our bedroom looks. I’m praying I can clear the mess before Christmas Eve and wondering if anyone else has a normal, grown-up bedroom without random toys and dressing up garments dragged all over the floor and stuffed anywhere that might constitute “tidying up” by the boys.
However, this year I’m slightly ahead of the game – and ONE room of our house is nearly clutter free. The fact that it’s our bedroom makes me a little giddy with glee. This isn’t by chance, but by force. You see, with huskies in the house, although they were told over and over that they were in fact dogs, they seemed to constantly forget that they did not possess opposable thumbs and should not open doors – which meant that whilst Gavin and I were at work, the house was a free-range husky heaven. We eventually realised we had to stop them from invading every room whilst we were out and installed teeny little locks to the top of our door and the spare room to save our sanity and not have to worry that we’d come home to a half eaten bed. These locks have meant that with the help of Christmas Tree World this year, I’ve been able to create a surprise for the boys, and have a half tidy room.
We’ve had to leave it this long, until the middle of Advent, because keeping them out of the room for much longer would lead to very suspicious boys indeed. Jensen is 7 and starting to become very savvy and I so desperately want him to believe in the magic of Father Christmas for as long as possible. I won’t tell you how old I was when I stopped believing but I will tell you that it explains a lot about my Christmas obsession with things being magical and covered in pixie dust.
However, this year with Grandad being so poorly they’ve been quite worried and Lyoto asked if Father Christmas was still coming this year. Added to this is the problem that since the boys were born, we’ve visited Lapland UK to see Father Christmas. Sadly this year with three boys we’ve been outpriced from visiting and having made a rod for our own back by visiting every year, Jensen is worried that Father Christmas isn’t happy with him and doesn’t want him to help out this year. Sigh. And so, I had a [rare] brainwave.
I wrote to Christmas Tree World with my idea and they sent me the most beautiful flocked tree for our surprise. I’m ashamed to say that since we’ve had our own home [17 years], I’ve never had an artificial tree because I’ve always felt they were, well, pretty ugly and as artificial as they come. What most people don’t know however is that despite having one in our home every year – and this year there are TWO real trees in our home – I’m allergic to Christmas trees. Imagine that. The needles, the airborne nonsense they give off; I love them but they don’t love me as much. But I have them because I love them and I’m stubborn – and chopping a tree every year makes for the best tradition that the boys also love.
So why the flocked tree, you’re wondering – and why would it be a surprise for children who have two trees already in their house? Well…. This year we’re taking the boys to visit Legoland. They’ve never, ever been despite it being just an hour up the road from us – and they’ve always wanted to. Father Christmas is there and they will have the best time running about looking at Lego. So, here’s how it will play out…
The night before we go to Legoland, Father Christmas will leave a note attached to this tree saying that he wants the boys to enjoy an adventure this year that he knows they will love. They will see the tree, which matches the trees at Lapland UK [because this tree really is that amazing – except it doesn’t drop snow everywhere thankfully] and KNOW that Father Christmas alone could have sent the tree with his elves because there’s no way Mommy or Daddy could get a tree in the middle of the night. Then they’ll be happy, I’ll be happy and I’ll also have the prettiest, most Disney Wilderness Lodge-feeling bedroom thanks to my very snow-laden, outdoorsy tree, and my collection of little Wilderness Lodge Tsum Tsums, and my new Chip and Dale nutcrackers. I’m so excited that these came up on the Disney site this year and was bursting to get them. The Wilderness Lodge is our favourite place to call home at Disney World and we’ve stayed there for part of nearly every trip we’ve made. 
So, our bedroom is ready – all we need to do now is prepare the Christmas note from Father Christmas, and get out warm clothes ready. I can’t wait to see the look on their faces – and then a few days later, unwrap their presents in our bed together. After all of the unfortunate and sad expereinces this year has bought for our family, I’m hoping that with this Christmas will come a happier time, a more healthy and happy new year for everyone.
Even the elves have pitched up ready, under the tree. Merry Christmas.
We’re very grateful to Christmas Tree World for sending us this beautiful tree. It took me four minutes to assemble and is just beautiful – and my opinions about this are my own.
