Every year we go and say we won’t get drunk. Every year we get totally fucking wasted. I’m not even a big drinker. What is it about Christmas parties?

Oooo. I started decorating my huge tree with kids. It’s nine feet tall. We were so Griswold at the tree farm. Soooo jazzed about Christmas. Only two weeks until my bro and sis and their families show up! And my husband gets home tonight. Date night tomorrow. My doggies are all snuggled with me. This is the life. And…

I’m also in freezing-as-fuck Canada, so I guess I understand why you are here. I’m fine with your comments. They’ve given me a good laugh. Especially the zinger about my laziness and neglect. That one was a tea-spitting good time.

This is lovely. And yes, I agree on making it a special month. I feel like a little kid all through December. Just straight up giddy.

Yikes. I need a rum and egg nog after reading that too.

I am also inverse in that I LOVE to spoil my mum. Love it. I spend more on her than I do my kids. I don’t buy her things. I get her tickets to shows and such. This year I’m flying out as a surprise to take her to one.

This is practical and fashionable. I approve.

Just out of total curiosity, what are you getting out of this interaction? I’m bored at the moment. My kids are off doing whatever they do in the playroom, it’s -30 so I don’t feel like going out, everything is clean. It’s a boring ass day. Are you also bored? I just don’t get it. Do you think I’m actually going to…

LOL

Oh, it is. But what I mean to say is that I would never respond that way to a decent person. In any case, I’ve nothing to really be personally smug about. It’s not me making the big bucks. I just married the guy.

Only smug for you. :) And not full of shit. Experienced engineers do tend to be paid well. We used to make that 75k between us and two hundred bucks for our daughter was a stretch that year. I can’t imagine mocking someone making that much for not splashing out on Christmas. Kids are expensive before you even get to…

One of my best Christmases as far as fun and magic goes was 1990. I got a stuffed troll doll and a book about horses (and a stocking of course). I know now my parents spent less than a hundred on each of us. And I know now that’s because they were carrying two mortgages at the time. Did not make Christmas any less for…

Loooool. Our family income is much higher. Is there something worse than a cheapskate? Because I guess I’m it. But hey, they won’t have student loans, they get to go on holidays, and they won’t have to support their elderly parents one day. MAGIC.

Literally all my 5 year old wants from Santa is a forty dollar lego hotdog stand. I don’t know if I’m the cheapskate or if my kids just have cheap taste. :P

It’s not that they won’t pay for it. They would. There is just no one to pay! Which is why I suggest staying in a major centre. My cousin has four freaking EAs in her Winnipeg classroom. I just live in a more isolated place. That is the biggest downside to this country. There is massive inequity between north and…

Canada is fantastic for healthcare. The education system leaves much to be desired, at least in my province. I mean it’s fine you are an average student. If you are behind or advanced or have any issue...not do much. My teacher cousins tell me Manitoba is better for this stuff. They deliberately left BC for that…

Ha. I must be in a chatty mood. I blame being alone so much lately. Apparently desperate for even the most pathetic of human interactions.

I am Canadian. Unfortunately where I live services are very limited (up north). Before school age it was very easy to access therapies to help her. Since she turned five we’ve had to pay out of pocket. The biggest issue is that she really requires assistance in the classroom and those resources are scarce. They…

I didn’t judge you in the slightest. I don’t use “normal”. You did. I was using the word YOU used. Did you miss that?

Oh, you’re one of those. I didn’t say they were normal. My older daughter has a severe mental health issue, so I guess you’d call that abnormal. That was the first reason for keeping her home. The second is having a husband who is out of the country for work - sometimes we travel with him. The third is the free time.