25 Days of Christmas for My Husband // One Week Update

As I posted previously, I’ve decided to give my husband 25 Days of Christmas this year. I realized I needed to refocus my time and effort into making sure he feels loved, especially around the holidays. 

So in case you are curious about how it is going, I’ll be sharing weekly updates. Perhaps you are looking for ideas for your marriage…or maybe you are just celebrating the joy we are experiencing. Either way, I am happy to share it with you!

I started by making a 25 Days of Christmas calendar, planning everything I wanted to do for Adam around his schedule and any commitments we had already made. Then I made a little sign to place in the Christmas tree and a scroll for each day that describes the "gift" he will receive that day.

Each day I hang a little paper scroll on the sign so Adam can open it in the morning before work. 

Here are the gifts he received on days 1-7:

1. His favorite home cooked meal – lasagna.

2. Five straight days of….you know. ;-)

3. A shower for two.

4. His choice of a restaurant to watch a football game.

5. Special messages during the day (email & text).

6. Rent a movie of his choice (we had to move this to day 7 - so I took some brownies to his office instead).

7. Surprise dinner (pizza and cheesecake he’s been talking about lately) with the movie from day 6.

Overall, I think the plan is going well. Adam is enjoying the attention and knows where my heart is with my effort to fulfill my plan. But that’s the key…some days it is the effort that counts. 

When I made my 25 Days of Christmas calendar, I promised myself not to allow any changes to be made unless Adam’s schedule called for it. This has helped me see how often I normally allow myself to reprioritize my day. When I would usually change plans and say yes to a girls’ night, babysitting gig, photo shoot…I am now practicing the joy of saying no. 

We are also experiencing the benefits of being flexible. Even though I planned to watch the football game at the restaurant with him, his team was losing by so much he decided it wasn’t worth it to stay. We went home and still had a fun afternoon together. And with promise #2…well wisdom has to play a part when one of us ends up with a chest cold. Then there is his ever-changing work schedule that will bump a movie night to the next day. But that's ok!

The point is I have repositioned my husband to priority #2 (God being #1) and we are both benefiting from that. There is more laughter, more conversation. More peaceful moments and fun in the little things. There is more affection in word and deed. We are doing what we are meant to do: enjoying each other.

I am looking forward to seeing how the rest of this month plays out. I believe it will be great. And I encourage you to work on a special project for your spouse this Christmas as well. It’s not too late to start something like my 25 Days….perhaps a 12 Days of Christmas…or even just a week of concentrated love and fun. Feel free to use my ideas, or come back here and share what you come up with.

Merry Christmas!