Out of the mouths of babes

I was just getting out the Christmas lights and it reminded me of this story about Austin:

I have always thought that less was more when it came to Christmas decorating outside. I love the understated look of  single  white candles in the windows, and a pretty evergreen wreath on the door. It looks calm to me. Inviting. Elegant.

Austin, on the other hand, thinks the more wattage used, the merrier the Christmas. He began lobbying for blue Christmas lights as soon as he was old enough to talk. He loved to drive around at night and look at all the Christmas lights. He begged us to put up blue Christmas lights. I decided that maybe we were depriving him of some basic need that he would grow up to resent us for. So, I began negotiations with him. I figured I could stand the little white icicle lights. So, I told him we would get some white lights for our house. This didn't satisfy him. He wanted blue lights and nothing but blue lights...and lots of them! We had this discussion for two years. No compromise was reached, so I continued to do my candles in the windows, wreath on the front door routine. He was less than impressed.

The year he was five, we were driving home from the mall at night and he was strapped in the back seat looking at all the brightly lit houses we passed. I heard this coming from the back seat in such a defeated little voice: "Oh, look, they have blue lights. Oh, wow, aren't their blue lights so pretty. I sure do love blue lights." I was saying nothing. Hoping that he would get over his lust for blue lights. After a few minutes of silence, I hear this: "(insert big sigh), Santa Claus is coming to my house in four more days, there are no blue lights on my house, how sad is that"?

I think that is when it hit me just how important these blue lights were to my little guy. Have I mentioned that I hate blue Christmas lights? I didn't know what to do. I really did NOT want to put blue lights on my house. But how can a mother hear what I'd heard and not find some way to give him what he wanted so badly.

While shopping last year I discovered icicle lights that were both blue AND white. I thought it would be a compromise. I thought he would be thrilled. He would get some blue lights on the house , and I could still have my simple white ones.  I bought enough of those  stupid things to light up Trump Tower. We  put them up last year while he was at his Grandma's. I was so excited for him to see them. When he came home that night and saw them he was less than overwhelmed. "Too many white ones", was his analysis. I was thinking, "Too many blue ones". 

We will hang them up again this year. And, I've already decided that if he still isn't thrilled with them. Next year, I will get him the blue lights he's coveted. He is so quickly coming to the end of his childhood innocence  regarding Christmas. The magic will soon be gone for him regarding Santa Claus. His friends are  telling him there is no such thing. I would hang whatever it took on my house to keep him believing. If only blue lights would do it.