“85% of Thanksgiving dinners end in a fistfight.”

“No matter how awkward your family’s holiday, things will be worse at the Petraeus house.”

The stuff of comedy legend, Letterman’s “Top Ten” lists leave his audience in stitches almost without fail. While we can’t promise the hilarity of a Letterman, the Advisor.ca team can hold its own in a game of countdown, and on the issues that matter to advisors day in, day out.

To end the year we’re bringing you our Top 3 Financial Phrases of the Year. Beginning this week, and running through the week of December 17, we’ll post a package of material including coverage and analysis of some of the most important issues of 2012.

To kick off the countdown, we give you our second runner up:

“Too big to bail?”

The Eurozone crisis continues apace with no clear resolution in sight. Talks over a bailout package for Greece have failed yet again and many analysts see the eurozone on the cusp of another downturn that promises to be even worse than the last.

Advisor.ca coverage and analysis puts the pieces together and identifies the key issues at play:

European recession: the only way around is through

Eurozone must strengthen defences: G20

The eurozone won’t collapse

Will a banking union save the eurozone?

Indices may kick out Greece

Greece’s exit would be welcome

Eurozone to protect euro; Greece puts brakes on cuts

Eurozone: All talk, no action

Eurozone gets too much attention

Investors tired of the eurozone: Desjardins

8 reasons to believe in the eurozone