Does your Christmas tree go up BEFORE or AFTER Thanksgiving? In this You Tube Modern Marriage Moment video Brandon and Stephanie “discuss” the question of putting up their Christmas tree before Thanksgiving.
You will see that they worked it out after Stephanie surprised Brandon by actually putting the tree up without him knowing about him. Needless to say, it didn’t go well. Even so, they came to a peaceable place of agreement.
A Tree Before Thanksgiving?
This is not something that either of us would do to the other. Some things are best left without making them into a surprise. I totally agree with something that Sheila Gregoire wrote:
“Maybe the holidays are going smoothly and you’re feeling happy and relaxed. Maybe it’s incredibly stressful and you’re feeling tense and frustrated. Or maybe it’s somewhere in between. …Whatever you’re feeling, talk about it. Then talk about ways to reduce the stresses of the holiday season in order to free up time and energy for your marriage. Find points of agreement and figure out ways to focus on them, while letting go of things on which you disagree. Be willing to give and take, in order to reduce stress and strengthen your marriage.” (From Sheila’s article, “How to Actually Enjoy Your Marriage This Christmas”)
That is something that we try to do. We learned the hard way. But now we are doing things the better way, whether that involves putting up a Christmas tree before Thanksgiving, or not.
Confession
With that said, I confess, however, that we did put up our tree before Thanksgiving one year. (It was by mutual consent.) Our Son and daughter-in-law were going out of the country right after Thanksgiving. So we put up our tree before they arrived at our home. We celebrated Thanksgiving one day and Christmas the next. And the next day they were off to Africa.
It was a busy, but fun time together. Who says you have to celebrate holidays on their “official” dates? The point is to celebrate the holiday in a way that best works for you and your family and friends. Don’t get stuck with the idea that you can’t change things up a bit.
Celebrating those holidays with those we love can always make it all the more special. We hope it’s a fun, and special time for you and your spouse too. But most of all, we pray it’s a blessed time with the Lord in the forefront of your thoughts. May your Thanksgiving and your marriage be blessed!
Cindy Wright of Marriage Missions International wrote this blog.
Filed under: Marriage Videos