Wow, I "sparked" a few comments, although some were rather "dim." There are kids involved, so I may end up putting up lights. We do normally exchange gifts on Christmas (and Hanukkah) so I'm not totally immune from at least the secular allure of the holiday.

Although my W did go through some ceremony in Arizona during her one and only Buddhist retreat in which she "converted," she claims that she is also still Christian in "some" of her beliefs. You'd have to ask her, I guess. As to a change in her demeanor, I guess she's just gotten a bit more extreme and weirder over the years. I remember a conversation we had during our first month or so of dating, when I mentioned that a friend was having a bachelor party at a "tittie" bar. I asked her what she thought about it and she said something like, I don't care what you do with your free time. If you want to go there, I'm not offended. I wouldn't want to join you, though." Now she would blow a gasket, tell me I'm supporting the male domination and oppression of women, the objectification of women, etc. I don't frequent those places (like Mustang Sally's H does), but her views/tolerance have changed somewhat over the years.

I remember about a year ago when a Victoria's Secret commercial came on and I raised my eyebrows and made a "um-hmmm" sound and she about castrated me for it, going off about the objectification thing. I told her that (is it Naomi Campbell or Tyra Banks) the model probably didn't think of it as objectification as she cashed her million dollar checks, and she just said that's because Tyra (or whoever) isn't "enlightened." Sigh. I should be so unenlightened.

Anywho, I appreciate your comments, especially the straightforward "no, don't feel like it" re: the lights. I think she's perfectly able to put them up.

Hairdog, who's off to take DD3 to Gymnastics in a few minutes!