Party Pitfalls

P: Have you ever noticed at parties that couples tend to separate into groups where the men congregate in one place and the women in another? We recently went on a double date night with some friends and even though we all shared a table, us guys made conversation with each other while the gals engaged in their own conversation. Driving home we realized that even though we spent the evening together, we had engaged with each other very little. What kind of date night is that?

S: Since that evening, we recommitted to the value of being together as a couple. We figured that the Thanksgiving holiday would be a very good time to put this value into practice. Upon arriving at our family gathering, instead of heading straight to the kitchen to find the women, Paul and I greeted our hosts and said our hellos together. Even though I checked occasionally to see if any help was needed, it wasn’t long before I sought out Paul again.

P: And instead of watching football with the guys, I found another couple whom I hadn’t previously met and invited Stephanie to join me as we shared about our families and the joys and struggles of married life. It was so much easier getting to know this new couple with Stephanie beside me sharing her input and charm.

S: Even though the standard gender divide was happening around us, we found each other and stuck together. As we did this we noticed that several other couples also seemed to find their way back to each other and the room was filled with more lively conversation. This holiday season, we invite you to give this simple attitude shift a test run. You might just find you enjoy hanging out with your spouse!