My MIL Decorated a Christmas Tree at 70 — Just Pathetic!

It’s not every day that I walk into my mother-in-law’s house and get completely thrown off by what I see. But that’s exactly what happened recently when I visited her home and found a giant Christmas tree standing proudly in her living room, adorned with an array of ornaments and twinkling lights.

And when I say giant, I mean this tree was massive—decorated to the nines with an amount of care and effort I would expect from someone in their 30s or 40s, not a woman in her 70s.

At first, I thought, “Okay, maybe she’s just into the holiday spirit.” But when I asked her why she’d gone to all this trouble, her answer left me speechless. She said, “It reminds me of my childhood, decorating the tree with my mom before she passed away.”

At 70 years old, should she really be focused on things like this? Shouldn’t she be letting go of the past and looking ahead to spending time with her grandkids instead of clinging to old memories and decorating a tree by herself? I honestly don’t understand it. It feels like a waste of time and energy—especially when there’s so much to do for the younger generations in the family.

And don’t even get me started on the money she likely spent. Imagine how much that could have gone toward our family’s needs, especially during the holidays. We’ve got kids, bills, and a lot of things to consider. Yet, she chose to put money into something like this. I’m just left feeling confused and, frankly, a bit frustrated.

A Different Perspective: Why This Tradition Might Matter
Before I judge too quickly, I do have to take a step back and try to understand where my mother-in-law is coming from. Sure, it’s easy to view her actions as out of touch or overly nostalgic. But, maybe there’s something deeper at play here. The holidays are a time when many people reflect on the past, and for my MIL, decorating that tree might be more than just about the tree itself. It could be about honoring the memory of her mother and preserving a cherished tradition that was important to her growing up.

For some people, memories and family rituals are what keep them going, especially as they age. For her, this may be a way to feel close to the ones she’s lost and hold onto a piece of her past that brings her comfort. It’s not about clinging to the past in a harmful way, but rather celebrating a life that once was and carrying those memories forward.

Is It Really So Ridiculous for Seniors to Embrace Traditions?
I guess I’m not entirely sure where I stand on this issue. On one hand, it feels like maybe she’s holding onto something that doesn’t necessarily “fit” with her age. But on the other hand, I think about how I’d feel if, at 70, I was still creating memories and taking joy in things that bring me happiness, no matter how small or “childish” they might seem.

The truth is, everyone’s life is different, and we all age in different ways. While I may see the time spent decorating the tree as time wasted, to her, it might be something much more meaningful—a connection to her family’s past, a way of celebrating what she values most. In that sense, maybe it’s not as ridiculous as I initially thought.

Conclusion: A Little More Empathy
I suppose my reaction might have been influenced by the practical side of me, focused on time, money, and family priorities. But I also need to recognize that nostalgia and tradition can be incredibly important, especially for someone who’s lived a long life and wants to keep a piece of their history alive.

In the end, I think this situation just reminds me of how easy it is to judge other people’s choices without fully understanding the emotional significance behind them. Maybe my mother-in-law’s Christmas tree is her way of staying connected to something that makes her feel loved, remembered, and cherished. So, rather than seeing it as a waste, I should probably try to respect her choice and appreciate the memories she’s keeping alive.

After all, who am I to say what’s meaningful to someone else?

My Stepmother ‘Gifted’ Me an Old, Smelly Couch — When She Saw What I Did With It, She Demanded $2,500 From Me

When Nicole’s stepmother calls her saying that she has a gift for her, Nicole goes over excitedly. But when she discovers what the gift is, Nicole is torn between keeping her father happy or retaliating. Finally, she accepts it and plans to transform it into something completely different. In the end Nicole is ready to claim the rewards of her hard work.

Ever have one of those moments where you should’ve just trusted your gut? Yep, that was me, standing in my stepmother’s basement, staring at the ugliest, smelliest couch I’d ever seen.

A close up of a young woman | Source: Midjourney

A close up of a young woman | Source: Midjourney

My stepmother, Susan, called me earlier that morning with a grand gesture for my birthday. She insisted that she had a “priceless” gift that was too big for her to move alone.

“You’re going to love it, Nicole!” she said. “It’s absolutely priceless! Come over later today, and we’ll show it to you.”

Now, this is the point when I tell you that Susan and I had never been close. In fact, if I’m being honest, she barely tolerated my existence. So, imagine my absolute surprise when she offered me a gift.

A smiling woman | Source: Midjourney

A smiling woman | Source: Midjourney

“Curiosity killed the cat, Nic,” I said to myself as I got into the car.

I just wanted to see what it was, and I hoped that, for once, she might actually be genuine.

So, I get to my dad’s house, and he tells me that Susan’s busy.

“She’s sorting out the basement, honey,” he said. “Susan is finally cleaning out her clutter. It’s about time, to be honest. Come, have a cup of tea.”

A smiling older man | Source: Midjourney

A smiling older man | Source: Midjourney

“No, let me check out the gift first, Dad,” I said. “I’m so curious!”

He chuckled, oblivious to my nerves. Susan had a knack for random gifts. Last year, she gave me water bottles and socks for my birthday. I wondered if this year would be any different.

“Fine,” he said. “I’ll get Susan, and then we can have some tea and a slice of cake. Susan made lemon cake this morning.”

A slice of lemon cake | Source: Midjourney

A slice of lemon cake | Source: Midjourney

I paced in the foyer while my dad went down to the basement. Moments later, I heard them on the stairs.

Then I saw it.

My dad and Susan were making their way out of the basement with the monstrosity of a couch. The fabric was stained and ripped, with a stench that could probably knock out an adult horse! It looked like it had been neglected for decades!

A stained yellow couch | Source: Midjourney

A stained yellow couch | Source: Midjourney

“Happy Birthday!” Susan beamed, as if she were handing me the keys to a new car.

My dad looked at me expectantly, hoping I’d be happy with the gift. But it was horrendous! Rejecting it would hurt him, and Susan knew it. I could see it on her face.

A close up of a man | Source: Midjourney

A close up of a man | Source: Midjourney

I swallowed my frustration and called my boyfriend to bring his van over.

“I’ll be there in about ten minutes, babe,” Derek said.

“Thank you!” I replied. “I think they want the couch out today, so I need to take it home.”

A woman talking on the phone | Source: Midjourney

A woman talking on the phone | Source: Midjourney

“Not a problem, Nic,” he said. “I’m just gaming online. But I’ll be done soon.”

I knew that Susan was using me as a free dump and delivery service. That couch wasn’t fit to be in any home. But again, I was determined to keep the peace for my father.

Derek showed up as I was drinking my cup of tea, and we loaded the couch and left for my home. He was going to follow me home, and we planned on having dinner together.

A young man in a driving | Source: Midjourney

A young man in a driving | Source: Midjourney

“This couch is rough,” he said. “Looks like it’s been through a storm or two.”

My initial plan was to dump it at the curb and let someone else take it, but then something shifted inside me. I wasn’t going to let Susan win.

I decided to restore the couch and give it a second life. And so began a project I ne ver thought would lead to surprising results.

A young woman with yellow rubber gloves | Source: Midjourney

A young woman with yellow rubber gloves | Source: Midjourney

First, I tackled the smell.

The couch reeked of a stench that it seemed to have a life of its own. And the odor only got stronger as the day went on.

Luckily, I found a recipe for a DIY deodorizing solution online: white vinegar, water, and a few drops of lavender essential oil. I mixed it up and sprayed it generously over the couch, letting it sit for a few hours.

Glass bottles on a counter | Source: Midjourney

Glass bottles on a counter | Source: Midjourney

The vinegar smell was overpowering, but it faded, taking most of the nasty odor with it.

Next, I had to deal with the stains.

The years of spills and neglect had left their mark, so I whipped up a cleaning concoction of baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, and a small amount of dish soap. With a soft brush in hand, I carefully scrubbed the stained areas, working the mixture into the fabric.

Different cleaning supplies on a counter | Source: Midjourney

Different cleaning supplies on a counter | Source: Midjourney

I let it sit for about fifteen minutes before wiping it off with a damp cloth. The transformation was already noticeable. The stains were fading, and I felt optimistic about my restoration project.

But then I had to deal with the rips and tears. A simple needle and thread weren’t going to fix this.

A woman scrubbing a couch | Source: Midjourney

A woman scrubbing a couch | Source: Midjourney

“Nic, you need material,” Derek said while marinating chicken in the kitchen. “There’s no other way than to do a funky patch job.”

“I agree,” I said. “Will you be fine here while I do a quick dash into town?”

Derek nodded.

“But why are you rushing?” Derek asked.

A young man in the kitchen | Source: Midjourney

A young man in the kitchen | Source: Midjourney

“Because if I don’t, it’ll end up as another sidelined project.”

“Go,” he laughed. “I’ll finish dinner in the meantime.”

So, I went to the local thrift store and found some reasonably matching fabric, random buttons, frills, and even two throw cushions.

A young woman in a thrift shop | Source: Midjourney

A young woman in a thrift shop | Source: Midjourney

I used fabric glue to patch the larger holes and an iron-on fabric mender for the smaller tears. Finally, to give the whole couch a more cohesive look, I added some decorative buttons and tufting in key areas, making it look almost intentional.

A young woman sitting on a couch and looking through buttons | Source: Midjourney

A young woman sitting on a couch and looking through buttons | Source: Midjourney

“Alright, give it a rest, Nic,” Derek said as he took the last flatbread out of the pan. “You can finish it off in the morning.”

My arms were exhausted from all the scrubbing, so I was ready to listen to Derek and just sit down and eat everything he prepared.

Flatbread on a board | Source: Midjourney

Flatbread on a board | Source: Midjourney

But the next morning, I was back at it. I used my steam cleaner and thoroughly steamed the couch. I spent hours going over every inch of it, bringing the fabric back to life while I imagined every germ evaporating into oblivion.

By the time I was done, the couch looked like something out of a high-end furniture store.

“Damn, Nic!” I said to myself. “Well done, girl.”

A woman steam cleaning a couch | Source: Midjourney

A woman steam cleaning a couch | Source: Midjourney

Feeling pretty proud of my work, I decided to post the couch on a social media marketplace for $5,000. It was almost a joke because I just wanted to see if anyone would go for it.

I loved the restoration of the couch, but I also just wanted to see if I could make some money from my DIY project.

“What on earth?!” I exclaimed when my phone buzzed with a notification. Someone named Maggie was ready to purchase my couch!

A woman holding a phone | Source: Midjourney

A woman holding a phone | Source: Midjourney

To my shock, within a day, I got an offer from someone in the ritzy part of town. I couldn’t believe my luck, but I accepted the offer anyway.

“This is just wonderful,” Maggie said.

The moment I agreed to the sale, she came flying over to my place to test out the couch.

“This couch is going to be perfect for my art studio! Why would you ever want to get rid of it?” she asked.

“I’m just redecorating,” I said sheepishly. “But look, it’s yours to love and enjoy.”

A smiling woman | Source: Midjourney

A smiling woman | Source: Midjourney

A few days later, Susan showed up at my doorstep, furious. She had seen the post and the fact that the couch had been purchased for $5,000.

“You ungrateful little brat! How dare you sell my gift?” she screamed.

“Susan, you gave me a piece of junk. Actual junk. I put in the time and effort to restore it. The only reason it was worth anything now is simply because of my work.”

But she didn’t back down.

A close up of an angry woman | Source: Midjourney

A close up of an angry woman | Source: Midjourney

“It was my couch! I expect half the money since you sold it. That’s $2,500!”

I couldn’t believe her nerve.

“No, Susan. If you wanted to sell the couch, you should’ve done it yourself. The transformation and profit are all mine.”

“You’ll regret this!” she shouted, storming off.

She hasn’t come back, so I don’t know what she’s planning. But I know I’ll be getting a call from my dad soon.

A smiling young woman | Source: Midjourney

A smiling young woman | Source: Midjourney

What would you have done?

If you enjoyed this story, here’s another one for you |

In-Laws Kicked Us Out of the House They Gifted After We Paid for Renovations — Then It Got Even Worse

When Mike’s parents offer him and his family a home, they are over the moon. Mike and Maria have a growing family, and they need the extra space. So, they venture into renovations, making the house a home. But one day, Mike’s parents called, wanting their home back.

When my in-laws offered us a house, we thought it was a dream come true. With three kids and a tight budget, any help came as a blessing.

A close-up of a house | Source: Midjourney

A close-up of a house | Source: Midjourney

But, let me be honest with you: the house was far from ideal.

“It’s in the middle of nowhere, Mike,” I told my husband when we were sitting on the couch talking about the possibility of moving into the house.

“It’s miles away from the kids’ school and our jobs! We’ll have to leave a lot earlier just to make it on time,” I said, sighing.

A couple sitting on a couch and talking | Source: Midjourney

A couple sitting on a couch and talking | Source: Midjourney

“I know, Maria,” my husband said. “It irritates me that the nearest grocery store is twenty minutes away. But I don’t want to seem ungrateful.”

I understood. Their gift came at the perfect time. Our little two-bedroom house was cluttered, and our three kids had to share one bedroom.

A cluttered bedroom | Source: Midjourney

“We’ll do it for the kids,” I said, taking his hand. “Whatever happens, we’ll make it work for them.”

“Think of it as a fresh start, kids,” Mike’s mom said when we went over to their home for dinner. “You’ll love the peace and quiet, and the kids will have a lot of space to run about in. This is going to be good for you.”

“Yes, Mom,” Mike said. “We agree with you. We’re looking forward to this new start and just going on a journey together as a family.”

A family sitting at a table | Source: Midjourney

A family sitting at a table | Source: Midjourney

This work is inspired by real events and people, but it has been fictionalized for creative purposes. Names, characters, and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the narrative. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.

The author and publisher make no claims to the accuracy of events or the portrayal of characters and are not liable for any misinterpretation. This story is provided “as is,” and any opinions expressed are those of the characters and do not reflect the views of the author or publisher.

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