The Home Alone Sheets

This Christmas season, I was watching Home Alone with my family, and even though I've seen it what feels like a hundred times, on this viewing I was struck by how much time Kevin spends in his parents' bed. Even when he has the whole house to himself and no cousins sleeping in his bedroom, we never see him go in there.

Then I thought about how I felt about my own parents' bed when I was a kid: it was bigger than my bed, it was a water bed, and it was a delight to get in it with my sister and watch a movie on occasion. So, I guess I understand Kevin's choice to take over his parents' bed when the opportunity arose.

But what I was also struck by was Mr. and Mrs. McCallister's bedding. Those rich monochromatic cranberry sheets, shams, and duvet cover. Such an iconic 90s color palette. Such a holiday vibe!

"I love the McCallisters' bedding," I said out loud. "I wish I had sheets like that for Christmas." 

And, just like Kevin got his wish when his family disappeared, a week or so later so did mine. I came home from work and my husband, Pete, told me that he had an early Christmas surprise for me: he got me the sheets from Home Alone!! And, not only that--he put them on the bed! (If you have ever changed out a duvet cover, then you know what a gift this act was!)

I was absolutely delighted! In fact, I can't think of a moment in recent history when I was more pleasantly surprised as I was when I saw that cranberry bedding in real life. And to top it off, he also got me a heated mattress pad, which makes getting into bed every evening so cozy.

More than the coziness or the hit of serotonin I get from looking at this bedding, the real delight is being listened to. I made the comment about the sheets on a whim, not as a hint for a gift or with any expectation that anyone would remember that I had said it. What an act of love to listen and pay attention. I want to do that for others this year.