Tagline: Karen wanted to light up their new home with the magic of the season. If only she could persuade her husband to see the holidays her way...
In a Nutshell: Karen and her husband Jim just moved into their first house. She wants to decorate the exterior with lights, but her husband is reluctant. When she gets home from work, she finds he's done the house up right after all.
Observations: This is a wonderful story about an already established relationship, something I find hard to write. In one of my classes I talk about these stories and how they often show a problem in a marriage being solved. This story doesn't do that. It merely demonstrates what a great marriage looks like. What a refreshing change.
Even though we see the surprise a mile away...
"I know. I'm jealous you still have a few days to putter around our new house. Maybe you can do some Christmas decorating."
...it's still heart-warming to live vicariously through Karen.
While the surprise was fantastic on it's own, I thought that Mostaghni added extra holiday sentiment by adding that final paragraph.
"It's beautiful, sweetheart! Absolutely brilliant!"
He thought I meant the lights. But I meant him and the gift he'd given me: the gift of listening.
Bam. See what I mean? Then she adds this last sentence, which ups the warm fuzzy feeling even more, making it a perfect ending.
And I told him so later that night in the glow of our Christmas lights.
Photo by Jo Naylor (cc)
