For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for December 02, 2013

Well, there’s also the phrase “it’s better to give than to receive” if that makes any sense in this case.

One year I asked my 6 yr old son if he’d like a baby brother or sister for Christmas. He said, “Um, can I look at the Sears Christmas catalog first?”

ah, the sears and monkey ward Charistmas catalogs

Every year we give our daughters the Toys R Us “Big Book” catalog & ask them to mark what they want to give us ideas. They know that they won’t get everything they mark. However, when we get the catalog back, very few things are usually marked!

Yes it is now give me !!!!!! 8^)

Walked right into that one, Elly

And this is why he is a child. He thinks of everything in terms of himself. We consider unselfish children to be very adult for their age, whatever that age is…

the true Christmas is gone

Christmas changes with the times. My dad would complain that Rudolf was only a song that Montgomery Wards bought the rights to. He wanted to read “A Night Before Christmas”, to 3 and 4 year olds. We couldn’t understand words, not to mention that some of it was different than the more modern Santa. We have to keep up with the times and pick traditions carefully.

Once there was a girl that wanted a pony.She had been carefully reading and saving the classifiedsand located all the stables in the yellow pages.Finally, pa gave in and said "OK, but first a friend Ellen isgoing on vacation next week. So next week, I’ll drive youover to Ellen’s each day and she will show you how tocare for a pony, ie feeding, watering and shoveling.And then next week I’ll drive you over to take care of itand then when she gets back we’ll pick you out a pony.(Two weeks later, request withdrawn)

A nice way for Elly to teach him would be to get him to look for toys that his sister would like and be part of choosing what to get her. Then he would experience the pleasure of watching her unwrap and enjoy them.

Anybody who remembers “Sad Sack” is ancient! I know!

Yo, kid! Get a job! Ya freeloader!

LOL I knew comicsssfan would have to turn up with memories of a Dickensian Christmas!

Mom could be taking notes while she is also teaching Michael that he needs to pick out things that he could give the rest of the family. A really good “teachable moment.”

Coal can be used for:1.) Electrical generation2.) Liquification for fuel3.) Steel production4.) Heating5.) Michael’s Christmas gift