Empty Christmas Stocking?
Why It Hurt & How to Talk About It Without a Fight
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Inside The Stocking Was the Symptom, you’ll find:
A clear breakdown of what the empty stocking actually represented
Five questions that help you move from resentment to understanding
What to say—and what not to—when emotions are high
A repair step if the conversation already went sideways
No minimizing. No piling on. Just an honest way to make sense of what happened.
Save it for when the feeling resurfaces.
If you’re wondering why something “so small” felt so heavy, here’s the truth:
It wasn’t small.
Moments like this land hard when they sit on top of years of invisible labor, unspoken expectations, and emotional responsibility. Anyone in that position would feel the sting.
This isn’t a character flaw.
It’s information.
“I don’t think an empty stocking automatically means your marriage is broken. But I do think it’s information—and ignoring it is how resentment grows.”
Why This Matters for You
If this moment stayed with you longer than you expected, there’s a reason.
Disappointment has a way of surfacing when something important hasn’t been named or shared. Especially when you’re used to carrying things quietly and moving on.
Giving this moment attention allows you to:
Honor what you felt without overreacting
Talk about it with more clarity and less defensiveness
Feel less alone in your experience
Create space for understanding instead of resentment
You’re not trying to make something bigger.
You’re trying to understand it.
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We’re Chels + Mike.
Married for 13 years.
Parents to 2.
Here to help couples tackle things like the mental load, intimacy and communication like a team, not an added challenge.
