As I gathered the Christmas cards from my mantel to tuck away (or toss), my eyes rested on the one from the friend who manages to raise two kids and still do everything better than I.
The two little cherubic children smiled winsomely from the card, adorable with their blond curls and matching red outfits. As I looked closer, I noticed that in the background, my friend’s house was decorated stunningly. On the mantel, ornate white candles swathed in gold and white silk ribbons stood elegantly against Christmas holly and gold bulb ornaments. The decorating scheme was repeated on the lush Christmas tree–and on the gifts tucked under it.
I resisted the urge to hate my friend and instead e-mailed her and said her house looked lovely.
“Are you kidding?!” she e-mailed back. “That’s the J.C. Penney photo studio. There’s nothing on my mantel but a dead poinsettia!”
Oh, so now she’s copying my decorating scheme . . . .