And trade her MG for a white Chrysler LeBaron?

She should change her name from Kitty to Karen.

Thank you! I thought I was taking crazy pills when I saw all the upvotes on this comment. COVID deaths in the US just surpassed 250k and millions of people and small businesses are on the brink of utter financial ruin. I am trying to imagine the type of person who considers being asked for gift ideas in 2020 as such…

Look I’m supposed to get married next year so I’ve been dealing with the possibility of having to postpone my wedding (its in the second half of the year, so too soon to decide at this point)...Imagine thinking your wedding is more important than the health and safety of your loved ones and the vendors you hired? I…

“...we have gone above and beyond to follow CDC and state guidelines regarding Covid-related safety measures.”

Thank you. And I can’t believe 73 people so far have starred a comment above. Christmas isn’t the time to take a deep dive into family issues, and the letter writer says herself they aren’t particularly close but it doesn’t sound like she is willing to do any of the work to bring that side of the family closer during…

Geez, I guess I should keep this picture handy...

I don’t understand the “need” (and I use that term sooooo loosely) to get married this year. If it’s for legal or financial reasons, see the JP and have the party next year. 

I don’t think there are worthless degrees, but there is definitely a lack of personal responsibility and basic math skills. If you rack up $100,000+ of debt — I don’t care what it’s for — with no idea or plan about how you’re going to pay it off, why would you expect a bail-out? Would you extend the same privilege to…

That’s fine if that’s the definition of emotional labor, but it becomes pretty meaningless as a means of judging other people’s behavior if it’s as subjective as anything that you personally feel is a burden, or that makes you personally feel resentful. Your feelings are your feelings and you are entitled to them, but…

Just because some people do well with a humanities degree doesn’t mean there aren’t much better alternatives when it comes to getting a return on your investment (that’s what college is if you want to believe it or not). We aren’t in a situation of massive college debt because we have too many humanities majors…

I taught for a semester at ITT Tech. They were paying $25k for a two year degree, when you could get a real 4 year engineering degree for $20k, 3 miles down the road at a real accredited state university.  I wasn’t allowed to fail any students that never showed up once, so they were essentially buying a degree.  After…

If 10% of your post graduation earnings over 10 years can’t pay for your degree, then yes, you got a worthless degree. Or you just paid way too much for it.

I am in the *exact* situation as the writer. Yes I know logically that being hounded for ideas (by both sides of the family) is rooted in kindness and generosity. But last year when my husband privately thanked *me* for the gift *his* mother purchased (it was a really good idea, and I gave it up out of kindness, and…

There is no such thing as a worthless degree.

I’m sorry, but what needy, privileged BS to be so put out and annoyed by someone who dares to want to get you something you’d like or use. My mom asks us this same stuff every year, every year I tell her she doesn’t need to get us anything, but she wants to give us a gift. She will choose herself if I don’t give her…

I’ve a buddy who has a Master’s degree in Asian history from a university in the mid-west. He’s never been to Asia, doesn’t speak Chinese and obviously couldn’t find a job in the field. However, it’s not a useless degree. The banks loved getting the interest on his loan. It also went nicely with his communications…

I’m sure I’ve seen uses of the phrase that surpassed this in ridiculousness but can’t think of any off the top of my head. Desperately trying to imagine thinking that“listing off a few inexpensive things I’d find useful” is emotional labor.

They’re her in-laws. They are family. They’re trying to do something nice for her. Maybe they deserve a little ‘emotional labor.’

Asking you to provide a list of things that would make good gifts for you and your husband is asking you to do the emotional labor of caring and being interested that your in-laws could, and don’t, do.