Christmas is a magical time of year. Putting up lights, baking cookies, unwrapping presents… There are so many fun activities to celebrate the season. But perhaps the one thing that families look forward to the most is decorating the Christmas tree. Why not spread the joy throughout the house by letting your kids have their own special Christmas tree?

“My 11-year-old daughter has a miniature tree on her nightstand complete with a red satin skirt and miniature ornaments. On top, there’s a light up angel in a white organza dress that seems to float,” says local mom Laurie Pytosh, who adds an ornament each year. It wouldn’t be Christmas without this special tree, which Laurie plans to send with her daughter when she goes off to college.

Giving kids a sense of ownership in the decorating process is a great way to get them unplugged from their devices and plugged into the holiday spirit. “It helps kids use their creativity and imagination,” says Esther Zoss, a designer at Marge’s Specialties, an Orlando home furnishing store with a year-round Christmas décor shop. Zoss suggests buying a two-to-three foot artificial tree for a child’s room and selecting a theme that appeals to the child. “We do a lot of sports themes, and Disney themes are popular too,” she says.

For the toddler set, consider a teddy bear tree with stuffed animals or a felt cut-out tree with soft ornaments. Adding a new ornament each year builds memories and a unique collection of ornaments to be cherished.

For Ocoee mom Amy Brady, letting kids have their own tree is the perfect solution to ornament overflow. “Twenty years of ornaments multiplied by four kids is way too much for one tree,” she comments. “Their (personal) tree holds the craft ornaments and the overflow that no longer fit on the family tree.”

Put on the Christmas music, whip up some hot chocolate, and make decorating a child’s tree a family affair. Spend time crafting origami ornaments with older kids, string popcorn and cranberry garlands together, or make simple paper chains or snowflakes with the younger ones. Here are some more ideas to get you inspired:

Traveler’s Tree: Let kids pick an ornament on each family vacation or ask traveling relatives to bring one back. It’s a great way to learn about geography and a perfect go-to souvenir for any trip.

Recycled Card Tree: Turn last year’s Christmas cards into beautiful ornaments by cutting them into shapes and hanging with ribbon. Make an elaborate geodesic ball with help from MarthaStewart.com.

Let it Snow: Dream of a white Christmas with paper snowflakes, cotton balls strung onto fishing line, and tree branches dusted with a sieve filled with cornstarch “snow.” Hang small ski or skate ornaments for a finishing touch.

Advent Tree: Count down the days until Christmas by hanging 24 miniature stockings or mittens on the tree, each filled with a tiny treat.

Sports Fanatic: Collect ornaments that reflect your child’s favorite sport or team colors.

Frozen: Relive the movie magic with special character ornaments (including an Elsa tree topper), blue organza ribbons, white and ocean blue felt snowflakes, silver balls, and sparkling icicles.

Need More Inspiration? Check out Spoonful.com for creative ornaments made from salt dough, aluminum pie plates, beads, and much more. HGTV.com, Pinterest.com, and MarthaStewart.com each have endless decorating ideas, and craft stores, like Michael’s or JoAnn’s Fabrics, have all the supplies you need.