Christmas — Page 2

BCM’s Favorite Things for Christmas

by bigcajunman on November 29, 2012

Hey if Oprah can shill herself for products, I can certainly put the Big Cajun Man Seal of Approval on things, and let’s face it, most folks come to a Financial Blog to find out what would be best to buy their loved ones for Christmas. Remember if you buy using any of these ads, BCM gets a few more nickels in his pocket too (hey even bloggers gotta get paid).

Wealthy Barber Returns

Now some of you may only think of Mr. Chilton as the new guy on Dragon’s Den, but I can assure you he is a very good author and both of his books are must read if you want to have any idea of how to manage your financial life.

If your kids are moving out to live on their own and are starting their life away from home, give them both of these books and tell them to at least read one of them, you will be doing them a huge favour (and they might be less likely to end up moving back into your basement too).

Moneyball the Movie(s) and Book

I have not seen the movie yet, but Mrs. C8j will be giving it to me this Christmas, but the book is completely different from the movie, from what I can tell. The Book was very enjoyable for a Baseball stat-head like me explaining how Billy Bean changed the measure of talent (in baseball) from being a “gut decision” to a more mathematical decision.

The movie sounds like it could be interesting as well (I am sure Mrs. C8j will enjoy the Brad Pitt portion of things).

The Snowball Warren Buffett and the Business of Life

A very interesting book well worth reading, since it portrays Mr. Buffett as a human being who made some very good decisions, but who also lives a very odd life. It’s the kind of “warts and all” story that I like reading since it doesn’t put him up on a pedestal, but it also doesn’t throw him down into the ditch either. A balanced view of a Very Rich, Pretty Smart kind of average guy.

Under the Dome by Stephen King

Another marathon book from the King of the Macabre, yet intricately spun web of a society’s spiral into an authoritarian hell. I enjoyed this book a great deal, but I am pretty sure if Mr. King put out a cook book, I might say that was great too.

Make sure you put aside a lot of time to read this one (evidently there is talk of a movie from this as well, interested to see if Frank Darabont gets on board for it or not).

Soap on a Rope

Nothing says Christmas to a Father or Husband more than soap on a rope, and English Leather, soap on a rope is the antithesis of this product concept. I miss soap on a rope and hope that someone who cares for me will get me one, so it can sit around unused for 5 years, and then get thrown out (the way the last soap on a rope went).

Not sure where the tradition of soap on a rope actually came from, but I like it!

Bestest Ornament Ever

This little ornament is very special to me, as it was given to my parents for me, when I was very young and was made by a friend. Yes, some gifts cost very little, but can mean much more than ludicrously expensive gifts (keep that one in mind, when you are buying your kids another lap top, or an iPad).

Give your kids something they might remember for more than 2 days after Christmas (remember money disappears on Boxing Day).

Christmas is a time for Family, Friends and Fun, going bankrupt buying ridiculously expensive gifts, is not part of the tradition.

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Some More Christmas Ideas

by bigcajunman on November 19, 2012

Before I get a bevy of “right thinkers” complaining about how I am being insensitive talking about Christmas, tough! If you go into work on that day, you can complain, otherwise, lump it (sorry, I am sick and tired of this whole Holiday instead of Christmas right think that has consumed right thinking folks). I have no issue with Kwanzaa, Chanukah, or not celebrating it, just don’t get bent out of shape when I talk about Christmas.

No, that is not the topic for the day, but I figured I’d throw that out in case someone wants to complain to me about that, I’d take a pre-emptive strike on it.

The start of the Christmas Season is almost here (no it’s not Labour Day, but some seem to think that), American Thanksgiving means one thing, time to start bankrupting yourself to show “love” for your friends and family (after all if you give an expensive gift, you are showing how much you love and care for your family and friends)(yes that is sarcasm, for those who are new here).

Gifts you shouldn’t give your kids (ever) was a helpful post that I had last year, and I have also spoken on this topic about asking the question Is re-gifting gauche, but here are some more really helpful tips for those who read financial blogs to find out great Christmas Gifts for their loved ones, and have no idea what to get for Christmas:

Fake your own death
Apologies to my Druid Friends

, given how much is spent on Christmas, this might not be that bad an idea. Disappear, and reappear in March claiming you have amnesia and pocket all of the money you would have spent on Christmas. A better idea, is take your Christmas money, and hide out somewhere warm and nice, but remember not to come back with a nice tan (that might be a dead giveaway). No this isn’t a new idea, I borrowed it from General Hospital (or Days of our Lives), I like to think of it as the Soap Opera Option.
I am too busy for Christmas, just never go and meet up with anyone who you might exchange gifts with until July of next year. You’d think this wouldn’t work but Michael James and I did this and we had Christmas in August this year (it works nicely). Claim you have a lot of work, or are on a business trip, or whatever.
Re-gifting, I still maintain this is the best thing to do for Christmas. You have to be careful that you have kept track of who gave you the gift originally, and once you start doing this, you can’t complain if you catch someone re-gifting to you (unless it is a gift you gave them), but it is the easiest money-saving Christmas gift idea.
Religious flip-flopping, can work if you do a little research first. Claiming you are now a Buddhist or a Druid can work for you, but you really must sell it hard or folks will resent you for it. On the Druid side of things, you can get out of impromptu Christmas things if there is a tree, and you can complain that adorning the tree is an insult to your religious beliefs, and leave in a huff.

Hopefully these helpful hints will aid you in saving a few bucks this Christmas Season. If you must give gifts, remember that Christianity is not based on the following tenet:

Love is measured by the price of the gift given

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Cutting, Canada Day, Christmas, Graduations and some Random Thoughts

by bigcajunman on June 29, 2012

The cuts continue here in Ottawa, with many more Civil Servants receiving notices that their jobs might be “affected” by the Harper Government Cuts (they find out whether they are the victims in a few weeks). This may lower the median income for Ottawa/Gatineau? We shall see, should help the housing bubble in the area as well, but then again, I thought the same when Nortel went nose first into the ground.

Canada Day is Sunday and Parliament Hill is being readied for the big party. It is nice working downtown seeing all the work that is being done to get things ready. There was a poor lad who impaled himself on his bayonet (I think he is OK, but lost a lot of blood), part of a colour guard practice (I think). It’s not a wonder that does not happen more.

Another High School graduation to attend for me, which entails sitting in a sweltering hot gym with a bunch of other parents, but this will be the last one for a while, so I am sure I will have pangs of sadness at the ceremony.

With the Supreme Court somewhat deciding that Obama Care is sort of OK, there is a move on Twitter with the hash tag #movetoCanada , really? You folks do know we have very high taxes due to our Socialized Health Care system, don’t you? Sort of like saying it is too hot in Florida and going to Arizona to escape the heat (you American folk are a funny bunch).

Weekly Recap

A hot week in the Nation’s capital, and it doesn’t look like it is going to cool off much either:

Football, Heat, Drafts and Sunday’s best highlighted those posts from my Twitter Stream you might have missed that are from my archives. I have written over 2000 posts, what the heck have I been saying?
There was a significant Drop in the CPI for May 2012, which again is caused by gasoline prices fluctuating. Is this a good thing, I have no idea, but it is one less reason to raise interest rates that is for sure.
This not my only blunder buying things but with Good Idea (really bad implementation) I lament my purchase of an expensive exercise bike (but I also revel in replacing it with a great purchase on Kajiji).
I was a bit rushed so I went deep into my archives with Revisit: It’s Simple Isn’t It, which I originally published in 2005 as one of my first posts, it seems to be still relevant.
No I am not piling on with Damn Rich Civil Servants, I am simply pointing out that Ottawa-Gatineau has the highest median income in the country (for cities). That may change with the cuts going on currently.

And thanks to those who added me on Twitter I am now over 1100 folks who follow me, zut alors! If you join my “Twitter Posse“, you might notice I am also re-Tweeting some posts from the French Media as well (hell, if I am learning the language, shouldn’t we all?).

Check out my Facebook page as well (but no I didn’t buy Facebook stock). The page includes many different posts, not just my own (kind of like this Friday post, but all week-long), and I have changed it a little bit too (note the new background).

Links for the Week

We averted having an Election in Ontario (not that anyone really cared), we had the Omnibus Bill of Death pass for our Federal friends, :

My Own Advisor points out that as with Music and Theatre with In Courting Dividend Stocks Timing is Everything (ok know your dates too). Timing is …. everything (that is much funnier in a podcast).
Larry MacDonald wondered about Real Estate as an inflation hedge, I think the only real estate I will invest in is my house and that is enough thanks (I know many friends who are landlords and they seem to enjoy an interesting life).
Femme Frugality celebrated her Happy First Year Blogiversary, good for you, once you become old and jaded like me, it’s good to see folks excited to keep writing (pass me that bottle of melancholy will you).
Miss T at Sustainable Personal Finance points out The Dollars and Cents of Your Bathroom, I worry more about the scents in my bathroom, but cents are important as well.
Timeless Finance points out the importance of keeping your stick on the ice and Keeping Your Tires Properly Inflated as well (OK he didn’t mention the stick thing, but it seems an appropriate piece of advice as well).
The Blunt Bean Counter goes off the rails a little with Are Accountants Really Boring? It’s kind of like asking does it rain in Britain much, not all the time. I wouldn’t say that Accountants are as wild as Proctologists, but I know my share of wild accountants (but then again I did work at Nortel too).
Michael James takes the investment industry to task with Skilled Investors and Ex-post Reasoning, trying to be logical again, but logic has no place in investing (yes I actually had a finance guy tell me that once).
The Canadian Couch Potato gives us an Overview of Commission-Free ETFs , you don’t know about ETFs? Go to my Sunday post, there is a video there from Khan Academy giving you an overview.
Miranda at Planting Money Seeds announces that NerdWallet Launches Financial Tool for Same-Sex couples, Quicken is homophobic? Hmmm…
Gail Vaz-Oxlade gets out the ruler and wants to rap some knuckles with Happy Go-Lucky Go-Broke, you know who you are, get those hands up!
Tom at the Canadian Finance Blog gives us another important idea Create a Home Repair Fund, and if you are a new home buyer, you need to do this, now!
Preet didn’t have a new Podcast this week, because of his busy schedule, but he did let TuskTrader have a go with Bad Trades and the emotions associated with them. Wonder if Tusky is turning towards the Dr. Phil Investing World ? You will however be seeing more of Preet as he has been picked up as the host of a new show on the OWN (Oprah Winfrey Network), wow, will he remember his blogging buddies when he is the next Dr. Oz?

Other Bookkeeping

Christmas is Coming, less than 6 Months Away!

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I Wish It Could Be Xmas Every Day…

Not really, but you do realize that Christmas is now less than 6 months away!

“Christmas is a time when kids tell Santa what they want and adults pay for it. Deficits are when adults tell the government what they want - and their kids pay for it.”
- Richard Lamm quite topical don’t you think? Enjoy your Obamacare!

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How to Make Christmas 2012 Better

by bigcajunman on December 27, 2011

Every year I keep thinking, “Next year I’m going to do it better”, when it comes to Christmas. I usually enjoy Christmas a great deal, but I always strive to make things just a little better the next time. With our family things change every year, with our kids getting older, and our family getting older, each year things change on how Christmas can be celebrated.

If you want to make Christmas 2012 better in terms of things you think you might have done wrong this year, you need to write down your ideas right now, so that in November 2012 you can look back and remember what you think you can improve on (and maybe write down the things you think went well and you want to make sure you do that again).

How is all of this going to work? My methodology is pretty simple, I use Microsoft Outlook (which is also connected into Google Calendar, and Synchronizes with that) as my calendar, so on Canadian Thanksgiving there is now a Calendar entry called: Christmas Improvement Plan, which has in it a small document.

In the document I have two headings: What Went Well for Christmas and What To Improve For Christmas 2012.

Under each heading a have a simple set of bullets with the ideas that struck me on Christmas night on what would make Christmas 2012, and that is it. On October 8th 2012 I will get a reminder from Outlook (and Google) to check the document and then start actually planning for Christmas 2012. What is a point on the list? Start Christmas work on Remembrance Day (November 11th) not on American Thanksgiving! I also need to put in a reminder to start decorating the house, as well!

Yes, Christmas planning can begin on December 26th, but it isn’t that much work, now is it?

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Merry Christmas 2011

by bigcajunman on December 25, 2011

joyeux Noël

Nadolig llawen

gojan Kristnaskon

Merry Christmas

In any language, I hope you enjoy this day of Celebration and feast, Merry Christmas from myself and my family to my readers, your families and friends.

Christmas continues to be a magical time in my family even with older children, because of my son and the spirit in the house. I hope Christmas never becomes something that I dislike, or view as a chore, it is a wonderful time, as it should be for everyone.