Wife REALLY wanted Christmas lights

[wjoerob]

Moved here 5 yrs. ago, our house is almost completely hidden from the road. Told my wife, "No point in putting up Christmas lights, just for our own benefit." I thought she was OK with that. But yesterday while I was gone, she had our 26-yr.-old daughter put some lights up on upstairs deck. Then she went on Facebook and told how beautiful they were, and how she's been wanting them for the last 5 yrs. If she wants something badly enough, she'll figure out a way to get it done. Now I feel like a real chump. She resents nobody being willing to help decorate the tree, too!

 

[dave1949]

Moved here 5 yrs. ago, our house is almost completely hidden from the road. Told my wife, "No point in putting up Christmas lights, just for our own benefit." I thought she was OK with that. But yesterday while I was gone, she had our 26-yr.-old daughter put some lights up on upstairs deck. Then she went on Facebook and told how beautiful they were, and how she's been wanting them for the last 5 yrs. If she wants something badly enough, she'll figure out a way to get it done. Now I feel like a real chump. She resents nobody being willing to help decorate the tree, too!

Your basic error here is you tried to read and interpret your wife's thoughts

We also live off the road, and I often think decorations would be neat but are sort of pointless, so put me in the Grinch category too
Dave.

 

[Thomas]

Like the old saying goes.."**** if you do **** if you don't".

You gotta learn to pickup on those hints,or it shall cost you $$'s.

 

[ToadHill]

My job with the tree is to put on and take off the lights. As far as the rest of the decorations for the tree goes, my wife has a party with the grandchildren and they decorate the rest of the tree.

During Advent we have a different activity each saturday, one we cut down the tree and everyone goes out to lunch (on my nickle), one is a decorate get together, and one is a cookie exchange. Some years we switch things around, but I always pick up lunch on the tree cutting day.

Once you develop a routine, the grandchildren will call it a tradition and you won't have to guess what's on the wife's mind anymore.

 

[dmccarty]

I just read of a XMAS tradition that is done is some areas of Germany. The Germans who came to the US kept the tradition going. It looks like the tradition was localized in Germany since not all have heard of it.

The tradition is to hide a pickle ornament, I think they used to use a real pickle, , on the tree. Then the kids try to find the ornament. The kid that finds the pickle gets a prize. Now with two kids that seem like a bad idea. Since one will win and one will loose. That makes for unhappy time.

Since I just read about the tradition I don't think we will be able to start it this year. When we do I will have something for both kids.

Later,
Dan

 

[JB4310]

Lights are nice, you can enjoy them yourselves even if no one else can see them. When My kids were younger we'd drive around enjoying everyone's light show. of course some people over do it.

 

[jinman]

I did a really dumb thing just in the last couple of weeks. We added on a deck so that three sides of our house now have decks and my Christmas light job just got three times bigger. Sheesh! I'm trying to figure out something easier because all that deck railing and stairs is gonna kill me.

Now, I did make some points with the wife on the Christmas tree. This year we bought a pre-lit tree and I put it up. Then, I got the decorations boxes out of storage. She picked out the decorations and I put them on the tree. It was a shared experience with just the two of us making suggestions and experimenting. I really enjoyed it. You just can't go wrong with doing it that way.

This year we've been talking about getting rid of an old couch I built many years ago from plans in a Sunset book. It's really okay, but dated. So, for our Christmas present, we bought a new wide-screen TV and four theater seats with electric recliners. My wife insisted that I let her pay for them. Thank you Lord for this wonderful woman you've blessed me with.

 

[Bird]

Every year, I tell my family I'm gettin' too old to do any decoratin' and this will be my last year. But then it's hard turn my wife down when the time comes again. So I got the decorations down from overhead and I put up the lights outside. All the indoor decoratin' was left to my wife and our 40 year old daughter. They don't just put up the tree, they decorate every room in the house.

 

[CrownHawg]

I too live on a dead end road and think putting up lights is not a great idea. I tell the GF "I don't want to give somebody a reason to have to turn around in my yard.

However, since my Dad passed about 10 years ago I have been putting up my Mom's lights and decorations. She always says "Oh, don't bother, but I just can't bear to see her disappointed. Normally takes me a whole weekend, but I figure it's worth it, just to see her smile....

 

[Cat_Driver]

....."No point in putting up Christmas lights, just for our own benefit."

That was your first mistake

You know the saying "when Momma's happy, everybody's happy.

OK now rehearse this answer next time the same situation comes up. "YES sweetie, that's great idea, I'll get right on that, anything else I can do for you dear"