“No House is More Beautiful than Ours”

By Sarah McDonald

When I was a little girl, I dreamt of how I would decorate my house for Christmas. I knew exactly what I wanted with white lights, garland, and crystals sparkling. Well, all of my grandiose ideas of elegance came crashing down this past Christmas as I looked around my child-decorated house that featured prominently my babies’ own creations and Christmas stockings hung from the curtain rods.

One harsh thought came to my selfish mind – my house has become a tacky Christmas sweater.

I was feeling particularly sorry for myself as I looked around at how far my ideals had fallen when my wise-beyond-his-years 3-year-old came up to me with a big smile and said, “Mommy, I love our house, and no one’s house is more beautiful than ours,” and gave me a big, tight hug around my neck.

He didn’t know I thought our house was a tacky Christmas sweater. His Christmas season joy and wonder were overflowing this year, and he was just so excited about it all that he truly believed in his heart that our house was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. In that moment, my disappointment was replaced with joy and tears filled my eyes.

I think I might have an idea of how the Grinch felt when his heart grew three sizes.

He was right. There is no house more beautiful than ours and not because of the Christmas decorations that were squeezed into it but because of what those decorations represent – our family and the love and faith that we share.

I was too wrapped up in my head to appreciate that, and I am so grateful to God that he sent my sweet boy to remind me of it.

Since then, of course, the decorations have come down, and we are back to the regular clutter and chaos but, I think, most days (definitely not all) I look at it differently. I try to see it like I saw it that special night when my eyes were opened to there being “no house more beautiful than ours.”