There was just an article in the paper talking about this man whose wife had had a 'holiday hell moment'. It didn't specify exactly what the wife did. The husband was so devastated he had to go to his friends' home to recuperate. The article was talking about how to avoid those moments, so the poor spouses wouldn't have to deal with them.
Let's step back a moment, here. I mean, I'm not condoning that anyone have a holiday hell moment. It doesn't sound very festive. But I think we should ask the question about why the wife was having a holiday hell moment at all.
Is it possible that she is the one who is responsible for doing all the shopping for gifts for a long list of people? That she has to shoulder all the baking, wrapping, decorating and cooking? Card-writing and package-sending? And the one that strikes fear into the heart of anyone with small children - holiday home cleaning?
I'm sure there are husbands out there who do some of these things, but can we generally agree that mostly it falls on the woman?
How festive can you be when you have so much stress??
Maybe more husbands should be asking their wives how they can help, and making tea and giving foot rubs. Maybe THAT would prevent a holiday hell moment. (Did I say tea? I meant red wine!)
1 comment:
wouldn't you love to see the article written from her perspective?? it would start with something like this...."after spending the day at work, returning home to cook dinner while baking two types of cookies, writing christmas cards while the batches were baking, and trying to make lists of presents still needed, her feckless hubby dares to ask why she hasn't laundered his work shirt...." seriously. some men just need a dose of holiday hell themselves to figure out that it's often the wives of the world who keep the christmas train on the tracks and generally make the holidays happen. i am now stepping off my soap box.
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