Chookie

I agree that it isn't worth spending lots on kids winter gear - I have had mine grow out of their stuff midway through the winter...

We tend to buy our kids winter gear in Zellers/The bay towards the end of the winter when they have it all on sale at ridiculous prices - we just make sure we buy the next size up for the older ones and pass the older ones stuff down for the littlies.... Sometimes it means that the snowpants are a bit long or the boots are a bit big, but they manage.. for the boots I just get them to wear two pairs of socks....

For adults, Marks work wearhouse is good.

Gloves/mittens are the bane of my life with the kids though - We have so many missmatched ones now that towards the end of last winter I took to sending them to school with odd gloves on. Hey, at least their hands were warm even if they did moan that it was not cool...

Japonica

No worries. You'll do fine. Lots of good info here. I'm not sure if anyone mentioned it yet, but get a timer for plugging in the cars. No need to have them plugged in all night in the deep freeze when you can set the timer to either stagger it through the night or for just a couple of hours before you'll be starting it up. Saves on the electric bills. Especially with multiple vehicles plugged in.

I had a friend from Perth who moved to Edmonton (we've basically swapped places--LOL) and the first winter she was out shovelling after every snowfall because she got a kick out of it. I warned her, hey, the novelty wears off really fast...

Howefamily

Thanks people!

Miss Clinique

Thinking about it, this is a mean answer from me. I remember asking a similar question the first Aug/Sept I was here.

Martyn and Wendy

haha, its fine - im sure ill be the same after our first winter, we will just take it in our stride too.