There's a problem around my house, and it has infested every nook and every cranny. The problem started with my apathetic, teenage son. It then traveled over to my daughter with the speed of a well-constructed espionage network. Now I see the beginning signs blooming up in my wife. The problem is that everyone has simply lost their Christmas spirit! I have an insidious plan, though. A plan involving a cork board, a camera, and a few Christmas t-shirts.
My family has always been really into the Holidays. We're the sort of folks who always leave cookies and milk out on Christmas Eve and always hang our stockings up on the hearth. We even choke down a few pieces of fruitcake each year, even though everyone in this family despises it. Something happened around two years ago. I don't know if it was puberty, rebellion, or just plain teenage angst. Whatever it was, it has destroyed the Spirit of Christmas...and I mean to get it back with some Christmas t-shirts cruelty.
I nailed up a cork bulletin board up next to the front door early in the morning, only explaining that it was for family announcements. No one suspected a thing. I asked my boy if he wanted to help put up decorations outside since Thanksgiving was only a week away, and we needed to get a jump on it before it got too busy. Just as I expected, I got some lame excuse and a huge roll of the eyes like I was a complete moron for expecting him to help. Bad move, buddy. It's humiliation time. I tossed him one of the Christmas t-shirts I had prepared for just such an occasion. He held it up in front of him. It had caroling snowmen all over it.
See, there's a new policy in our house! Now there's going to be a penalty for bad attitudes toward the Christmas goings-on in our home. When anyone wants to be grumpy or short-tempered when it comes to Christmas, they're going to have to wear one of the God-awful Christmas t-shirts I've bought for just such an occasion. They will have their picture taken, and then their picture will be posted on the cork board until after the New Year. My son most definitely did not like this turn of events. In fact, he refused to participate...surprise, surprise. Well, I made him participate by either picking one of two activities. He could either take the picture, or lose his car privileges. Guess which he picked? Also, guess who helped with the lights?
Talk about a huge attitude adjustment! Everyone ended up with their picture on the Board of Christmas Shame that year wearing the most ridiculous Christmas t-shirts you can imagine. Yes, even I had to go up on the board a few times. Holiday stress can put anyone in a foul mood sometimes, but I'm a good sport and no one can say that I don't play by my own rules. The best thing of all is that it became a fun game for all of us after the first few pictures were put up. We had lots of great laughs and the Christmas spirit was restored in our home.
My family has always been really into the Holidays. We're the sort of folks who always leave cookies and milk out on Christmas Eve and always hang our stockings up on the hearth. We even choke down a few pieces of fruitcake each year, even though everyone in this family despises it. Something happened around two years ago. I don't know if it was puberty, rebellion, or just plain teenage angst. Whatever it was, it has destroyed the Spirit of Christmas...and I mean to get it back with some Christmas t-shirts cruelty.
I nailed up a cork bulletin board up next to the front door early in the morning, only explaining that it was for family announcements. No one suspected a thing. I asked my boy if he wanted to help put up decorations outside since Thanksgiving was only a week away, and we needed to get a jump on it before it got too busy. Just as I expected, I got some lame excuse and a huge roll of the eyes like I was a complete moron for expecting him to help. Bad move, buddy. It's humiliation time. I tossed him one of the Christmas t-shirts I had prepared for just such an occasion. He held it up in front of him. It had caroling snowmen all over it.
See, there's a new policy in our house! Now there's going to be a penalty for bad attitudes toward the Christmas goings-on in our home. When anyone wants to be grumpy or short-tempered when it comes to Christmas, they're going to have to wear one of the God-awful Christmas t-shirts I've bought for just such an occasion. They will have their picture taken, and then their picture will be posted on the cork board until after the New Year. My son most definitely did not like this turn of events. In fact, he refused to participate...surprise, surprise. Well, I made him participate by either picking one of two activities. He could either take the picture, or lose his car privileges. Guess which he picked? Also, guess who helped with the lights?
Talk about a huge attitude adjustment! Everyone ended up with their picture on the Board of Christmas Shame that year wearing the most ridiculous Christmas t-shirts you can imagine. Yes, even I had to go up on the board a few times. Holiday stress can put anyone in a foul mood sometimes, but I'm a good sport and no one can say that I don't play by my own rules. The best thing of all is that it became a fun game for all of us after the first few pictures were put up. We had lots of great laughs and the Christmas spirit was restored in our home.
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