When my husband, Greg, handed me a crumpled $50 bill and told me to “make a lavish Christmas dinner” for his family, I knew I had to make a statement. Not just about the dinner, but about the way he treated me.
Every year, Greg’s family would come over for Christmas dinner, and every year, I’d feel like I was shouldering the entire burden alone. This year, I decided to take a stand.
As Greg tossed the $50 bill onto the counter, I felt a surge of frustration. How could he think that was enough to feed eight people? How could he be so dismissive of my hard work?
But I didn’t let my anger get the best of me. Instead, I decided to use it as fuel to create a Christmas dinner that would leave Greg and his family speechless.
I spent the next few days planning and preparing, using my own savings to make sure everything was perfect. I hired a catering team, decorated the house, and even ordered a custom-made cake.
When Christmas Day arrived, Greg’s family was blown away by the spread before them. But Greg was oblivious to the fact that I had spent far more than the $50 he had given me.
As we sat down to eat, I stood up and gave a toast. “I want to thank Greg for his generous contribution to this dinner,” I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm. “Without his $50, none of this would have been possible.”
The room fell silent, and Greg’s face turned bright red. His family looked at him in shock, and I could see the embarrassment written all over his face.
But I wasn’t done yet. I pulled out a receipt from under the table and slid it across to Greg. “I also wanted to thank you for the weekend spa retreat you got me for Christmas,” I said, smiling sweetly.
Greg’s eyes widened as he read the receipt, and his face turned an even deeper shade of red. His family erupted into laughter, and I could see the realization dawn on Greg’s face that he had underestimated me.
As the evening drew to a close, I let Greg know that he would be handling the cleanup. “Think of it as your contribution to this year’s Christmas,” I said, smiling.
As I watched Greg sulk in the kitchen, scrubbing dishes, I felt a sense of satisfaction. I had made my point, and I had done it with style.
The next day, I packed my bags and headed off to my weekend spa retreat, feeling like the queen of Christmas. And as for Greg, he was left to ponder the true meaning of “lavish.”
