Posted by Canadian Dream on December 23, 2010
In a rare moment of either stupidity or a desire to inflict pain on myself I’ve decided to host a last minute Christmas Eve party at my house. The only good news is the guest list is very small so it won’t be a that much trouble to do, but in a effort to keep things interesting I’ve decided to keep the costs of hosting to a minimum… like around zero. Why? I avoid shopping like the plague at this point in the year because I just can’t stand the crowds.
So how do you fed a group eight people with almost no notice? I personally decided to take the easy route and dig around the freezer and search my pantry for ideas. Thank goodness I have the foresight to keep a few items around for these moments like a shrimp ring. I’m going with a simple appetizer and drink theme similar to the classic cocktail party. Here is the list:
Drinks
- Eggnog – of course
- Mulled Wine, Strawberry Wine, White Wine
- Selection of pop
- Misc cocktails that I have the ingredients for (I’m still trying to decide on one or two)
Appetizers
- Shrimp Ring
- Premade hor d’oeuvres
- Chicken Wings
- Veggies Tray with Dip
- Cheese Thins – A thin pastry like snack.
- Potato Skins
- Potato Cheddar Muffins (we have a few kids coming so I decided to make something they will love)
Thankfully the house is already decorated for Christmas so other than a quick clean I’m almost ready there. Then for a little entertainment I’ve decided to bring out a simple game to play called Shut the Box. Which if you have never played I suggest you get copy as even small kids can play with a little help from Mom or Dad, all you need is a little bit of adding skill to play.
Now I just have to hope I can pull it off given the short notice of I only decided this on Monday. So any advice for the last minute party planner?
Posted by Canadian Dream on December 22, 2010
If I read just one more story about pension reform I might just have to scream. Why? Because the main reason they are looking at it is basically everyone collectively realized many of the boomers have failed to save for retirement. Yet ironically any of the proposals coming out to either expand the CPP or this new Pooled Registered Pension Plans fail to address the original reason.
Let’s for example look at expanding the CPP. If you did so, the system is based on a pay as you go model now. So even if you doubled the benefit (in some extreme proposals) the boomers would see almost no increase into their benefit since they will only pay in a for a few more years. Only kids just out of high school would ever see the full increase regardless of the increase of benefit chosen.
While I appreciate the idea behind the Pooled Registered Pension Plans (PRPP) and making people default to opt in with them I think the government is is needlessly complicating matters. Saskatchewan for example already has a low cost, pooled plan that happens to be voluntary and heck even available to non-Saskatchewan residents. All you would need to do is add on a default opt in for anyone who didn’t have a pension plan in the province and you would have created the same idea as the PRPP’s. Yet the same problem will occur with the boomers, they won’t put in enough to make any significant difference to their retirements.
Basically the boomers that didn’t save are already fucked. They will have to work to at least 70 in order to max out any CPP they get and save what ever they can for their last working years and hope to God that a future government doesn’t cut back OAS on them. It isn’t nice, but it is true: they won’t be saved by any pension reform. At best we can take the lesson to younger generations to get your act together or have the government force you to save at some point. Forced savings isn’t nice for those that do have their act together, but the option for governments is starting to look better and better to solve the issue. The carrot of RRSP’s has failed to partly do its job, now it will be the stick.
So are you sick of hearing about pension reform? Or have you heard any good ideas yet on what to change?
Posted by Dave on December 21, 2010
This is a guest post by Dave, who is also looking to retire no later than 45, but unlike Tim has no kids and doesn’t want any. Dave is from Ontario and is working towards his CGA certification.
In the past couple of years, both my wife’s and my own family have chosen to get involved in a gift exchange where each person in the family picks another from a hat – this has significantly cut down on the number of presents I need to buy, but at the same time has really monetized Christmas. I really enjoy finding presents for my niece and nephews, but the family “adult” gift exchange has essentially turned into people trading the same amount of money back and forth – doesn’t exactly get me into the Christmas spirit wondering what $50 gift I’m going to get in return for the $50 gift I bought them. 
My wife has explained that this is perhaps not the point of the gift exchange and it should be fun. She also knows that I am a terrible person to buy gifts for because I rarely want anything and when I do, I research most major purchases (over $50) extensively in order to ensure that I actually need the “thing” in question. I understand that I am not really all that fun to buy for, but I did provide a list of stuff that I would like to receive from the people buying presents for me. Some were specific, but others were more broad-based:
Stuff I would have bought for myself, but have held off on buying for Christmas: There were several books that I can’t find at the library and a couple of video games that I should have time to play over the next couple of months that were added to this list.
Stuff that I don’t need right now, but will come in useful soon: Things like socks, underwear, and other basic clothes that I own currently but will wear out over the next few months. Normally I’d just buy these in bulk when they’re on sale but if people are looking for things to get me, these are things that I would appreciate and actually put to use.
Homemade stuff: One of my favourite presents I’ve received over the past few years was a handmade canoe paddle that my brother made for me last Christmas. This Christmas my sister-in-law didn’t know what to get me and I asked for baked goods. I love baked goods, but rarely make them for myself as it’s kind of a pain – but I do enjoy other people’s baking.
Those were my basic ideas for people getting me Christmas presents this year. I really hate to ask for anything because it seems greedy, but rather than people “wasting” their present on me, getting something that I really won’t like or use a list seems like a good idea. Really, simple things are the best – as most of my friends and family know, if they totally have no idea – any kind of beer is much appreciated. 
Do you create a list for Christmas? How does your gift exchange work in your family? What would you like most for Christmas this year?
