Mom explains why her '50 Christmases' rule can help you choose a the best life partner
Some useful wisdom told in a fresh new way.

Marriage can take many forms, but at least one thing remains true no matter what the relationship looks like—the goal is to have a partner that actually makes your life better.
That sounds easy enough, but it’s actually not so easy to decipher sometimes. But one mom’s advice that worked on her own kids sounds pretty sound for everyone.
She calls it her “50 Christmases Rule.”
In a clip posted to her TikTok, Erin Bruce, a mom of four, explained that, “I always told my kids that whoever you marry is going to make the family gathering on Christmas morning better for 50 years or worse for 50 years. You are not just choosing someone that you are attracted to ... You’re choosing someone that’s going to enhance or destroy Christmas for the next 50 years.”
This is advice her kids luckily listened to, and to great success with their own partners.
Bruce then said, “It’s better when spouses are…peacemakers. They add a lot of joy and fun, and great conversation. They’re great listeners, they bridge things, they ask questions, they bring joy, they’re not moody, they’re positive, they’re helpful. So when you’re looking for someone you’re looking for someone that does all those things for the family.”
With such a highly relatable metaphor, it’s hard not to take in this wisdom in a whole new way. No matter what significance you infuse into the holidays, odds are you experience it every year in one way or another, and probably want the day to be pleasant. If so, you’d probably want your partner to help bring in some of that good cheer, rather than bring the vibes down.
Folks in the comment section—particularly those who have had not-so-great partners in this arena—couldn't agree more.
“I was married less than a year,” one person shared. “The Thanksgiving and Christmas I had while married were two of the worst days of my life.”
Another added, “I have deep regrets of not thinking about this when I got married at 23. I was so young I didn’t realize it.”
Still another pointed out that it might not be the partner themselves, but the partner’s family, that causes the issue, saying, “Before you go falling in love with him, find out if his mom is nuts. My MIL made a lot of Christmases worse.”
Some argued that this rule could go for any family function. One person said, “also vacations, choosing the wrong person can make family vacations horrible.”
There were also plenty of positive examples reiterating Bruce’s point.
One person shared, “Yes! My two brothers married the best women and they have been such a blessing to our family! They enhance our family so much!”
Some perspective to chew on, for sure. Whether you’re in a committed relationship or seeking one. And just in time for the approaching holidays.
There's a reason why some people can perfectly copy accents, and others can't
Turns out, there's a neurodivergent link.
A woman in black long sleeve shirt stands in front of mirror.
Have you ever had that friend who goes on vacation for four days to London and comes back with a full-on Queen's English posh accent? "Oooh I left my brolly in the loo," they say, and you respond, "But you're from Colorado!" Well, there are reasons they (and many of us) do that, and usually it's on a pretty subconscious level.
It's called "accent mirroring," and it's actually quite common with people who are neurodivergent, particularly those with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). According Neurolaunch, the self-described "Free Mental Health Library," "Accent mirroring, also known as accent adaptation or phonetic convergence, is the tendency to unconsciously adopt the accent or speech patterns of those around us. This linguistic chameleon effect is not unique to individuals with ADHD, but it appears to be more pronounced and frequent in this population."
Essentially, when people have conversations, we're constantly "scanning" for information—not just the words we're absorbing, but the inflection and tone. "When we hear an accent, our brains automatically analyze and categorize the phonetic features, prosody, and intonation patterns," writes Neurolaunch. For most, this does result in copying the accent of the person with whom we're speaking. But those with ADHD might be more sensitive to auditory cues. This, "coupled with a reduced ability to filter out or inhibit the impulse to mimic…could potentially explain the increased tendency for accent mirroring."
While the article explains further research is needed, they distinctly state that, "Accent mirroring in individuals with ADHD often manifests as an unconscious mimicry of accents in social situations. This can range from subtle shifts in pronunciation to more noticeable changes in intonation and speech rhythm. For example, a person with ADHD might find themselves unconsciously adopting a Southern drawl when conversing with someone from Texas, even if they’ve never lived in the South themselves."
People are having their say online. On the subreddit r/ADHDWomen, a thread began: "Taking on accents is an ADHD thing?" The OP shares, "My whole life, I've picked up accents. I, myself, never noticed, but everyone around me would be like, 'Why are you talking like that??' It could be after I watched a show or movie with an accent or after I've traveled somewhere with a different accent than my 'normal.'
They continue, "Apparently, I pick it up fast, but it fades out slowly. Today... I'm scrolling Instagram, I watch a reel from a comedian couple (Darcy and Jeremy. IYKYK) about how Darcy (ADHD) picks up accents everywhere they go. It's called ADHD Mirroring??? And it's another way of masking."
(The OP is referring to Darcy Michaels and his husband Jeremy Baer, who are both touring comedians based in Canada.)
Hundreds of people on the Reddit thread alone seem to relate. One comments, "Omfg I've done this my whole life; I'll even pick up on the pauses/spaces when I'm talking to someone who is ESL—but English is my first language lol."
Sometimes, it can be a real issue for those around the chameleon. "I accidentally mimicked a waitress's weird laugh one time. As soon as she was out of earshot, my family started to reprimand me, but I was already like 'oh my god I don’t know why I did that, I feel so bad.'"
Many commenters on TikTok were shocked to find out this can be a sign of ADHD. One jokes, "Omg, yes, at a store the cashier was talking to me and she was French. She's like 'Oh are you French too? No, I'm not lol. I'm very east coast Canada."
And some people just embrace it and make it work for them. "I mirror their words or phrase! I’m 30. I realized I start calling everyone sweetie cause my manager does & I work at coffee shop."