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Balancing Traditions and Goals A Holiday Reflection and a Look Ahead
As the holiday season approaches, I can’t help but think about the traditions that have become an integral part of my family’s celebrations. More than just a time for feasting and merrymaking, holidays are a time for reflecting, setting new goals, and giving back to the community. Sounds serious, doesn’t it? But the beautiful thing is that it’s all wrapped in warmth, love, and the comforting familiarity of family. Though so many people often travel for the holidays to be somewhere different and exciting, my family’s destination has always been home. Each year, we gather at one of our family members’ homes, usually decked out in holiday decor, the scents of traditional foods and the sounds of laughter and conversation filling the rooms. One unique tradition we’ve cultivated over the years involves setting goals for the coming year. As the clock inches closer to midnight, we each get 10 grapes. These aren’t ordinary grapes; they are symbolic vessels for our goals and dreams. One by one, we speak our goals into existence, each attached to a grape. Once done, we eat them, internalizing our aspirations. While I’m not exactly sure of the origin of this tradition, it’s something I’ve been doing since I was a child, and it’s evolved with me as I’ve grown older. Last year, my goals centered around financial independence and education. Specifically, I aimed to clear most of my debts and complete my schooling. I can’t say I’ve fully realized those goals, but I’ve made progress. And the ones yet to be achieved? They give me something to strive for in 2024. These aren’t secrets; they’re just stepping stones to a better version of myself. They make the climb worth the effort, however steep the hill may seem at times. What amplifies the importance of these traditions is the act of sharing them with your loved ones. When you speak your intentions out loud, they somehow become more concrete. You’re also more accountable — not just to yourself but to the people who heard you make those commitments. It’s a cycle of positive reinforcement that’s hard to break.
The holidays also bring forth a sense of community responsibility for me. Currently, I work full time at a law firm while also being a full-time college student. Despite my jam-packed schedule, giving back to the community remains a priority. Recently, I’ve been involved in a program called Holiday for Heroes, where we prepare care packages for retired veterans and active military personnel. It’s not just about packing boxes; it’s about acknowledging the sacrifices made by others and paying it forward in whatever small way we can.
Speaking of busy schedules, juggling a full-time job with college isn’t a walk in the park. But here I am, ready to graduate this December with a paralegal degree. How did I do it? With a lot of support from my family and an unquenchable desire to realize my potential — to not just be good but great, to not just live but thrive. So, as I sit here pondering over what goals to attach to my grapes this year, I’m grateful for my family traditions. They ground me, guide me, and give me something to aspire to. And with another challenging but rewarding year coming to a close, I am excited about the endless possibilities that await in the next. So, what are your traditions? What are your goals for the next year? Because in a world that’s always rushing, it’s beautiful to pause, reflect, be thankful, and plan for a future only you can shape.
–Laura Ruiz
1 (239) 265-9779
DECEMBER 2023
Explore America’s Most Magical Christmas Towns From Snowy Villages to Year-Round Holiday Cheer
It may be too late for less spontaneous travelers to start planning a Christmas vacation. But that shouldn’t stop you from
month-long festival takes place every December and features picturesque events, including a ballerina-filled tree lighting ceremony, visits from Santa, culinary delights, traditional Danish celebrations, and much more! Woodstock, Vermont During Woodstock’s Wassail Weekend, you’ll find the town in peak Christmas mode, where you can experience parades, horse-drawn carriages, carolers, and the Billings Farm, a local favorite of the season. Stroll down Main Street to witness an idyllic Christmas spot filled with cozy small-town shops and restaurants. North Pole, Alaska If you ever feel like celebrating Christmas in the middle of summer, we know the perfect destination. North Pole, Alaska, offers Christmas decor and festivities year-round! Here, you can get up close and personal with Santa’s reindeer, meet the man himself, and enjoy the snow that covers the entire town. Be sure to check out their ice sculpture competition, which features artists from all over the world! Ready for the Christmas celebration of your dreams? Start planning your next holiday vacation at any of these destinations, and we promise your dreams will most definitely come true!
planning next year’s holiday journey! The good news is you don’t need to venture to another continent to find a Christmas wonderland. There are countless
picture-perfect Christmas towns across the country. Make your next Christmas trip feel like a
Hallmark movie at one of these festive towns! Leavenworth, Washington
Many have dubbed Leavenworth the most Christmas-centric in the U.S., and it’s easy to see why. This Bavarian-style village experiences nearly 96 inches of snowfall every year, and they certainly don’t hold back when it comes to the holidays. The town lights up and decorates almost 21 miles, where you can find reindeer farms, carolers, gingerbread competitions, and Christmas markets. Every step of the way offers an Instagram-worthy photo opportunity! Solvang, California A slice of Denmark right in sunny California, Solvang brings endless holiday cheer, especially with their annual Julefest. Pronounced “Yule-fest,” this
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Experience Shows Estate Planning Is Rarely Easy
Attorney Craig Hersch shows how a request for a “simple” estate plan can get complicated quickly. Read Craig’s full blog on the Sheppard Law Firm Blog at FloridaEstatePlanning.com. When a new client first visits with me to update their estate plan, it isn’t unusual for them to say, “I just want to keep it simple.” The irony of that statement is that almost none of my clients have “simple” situations. If all I had in my estate was a checking and savings account of less than $100,000, and if I want to leave it all to my wife, then all I do is own the account jointly with her as “husband and wife.” But that’s not what most people have nor is it what they really want. What they want are several things. Privacy: This usually requires using a trust instead of a will. They have a certain idea of how they want to take care of their loved ones when they’re no longer around and don’t want their family to scramble in a crisis. Protection: They want to protect the inheritance they leave their children from a divorcing spouse, a business lawsuit, or creditors.
Lower Taxes: Even though federal estate tax exemptions are high and don’t affect many, income tax planning is becoming more important as many clients have significant balances in their IRA and 401(k) accounts. No Court Processes: No one wants unnecessary court processes to interfere with their lives, such as guardianship and probate. Good Family and Financial Dynamics: Our families grow with the birth of new children and grandchildren, and our adult children’s needs change as they raise their own families. Some clients are part of a blended family. These clients generally want to take care of one another but then have assets eventually filter back to their respective bloodlines. If Janet names George as her primary beneficiary, this is simple, right? But assume George survives Janet. He rolls over the IRA account and may select anyone he wants to be his beneficiary. In other words, he has no obligation, absent a nuptial agreement, that expressly speaks to that point to name Janet’s children. This is where having relationships with qualified professionals will keep things “simple.” A good estate plan is well thought out, where different scenarios are considered to ensure the plan remains consistent with the client’s intent.
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Great Actors, Terrible Estate Planners Celebrity Cases Shine Light on Poor Planning
Attorney Craig Hersch shows how poor estate planning can leave your loved ones with an unnecessary tax bill. Read Craig’s full blog on the Sheppard Law Firm blog at FloridaEstatePlanning.com. Not that anyone reading this plans on mixing up a cocktail of illegal drugs and shooting them into their body, but the tragic death of actor Philip Seymour Hoffman in February 2014 at the relatively young age of 46 offers lessons on what not to do in your estate plan. The last will and testament of Hoffman was signed in October 2004 when he had only one child, Cooper. Hoffman subsequently fathered two daughters, Tallulah and Willa, neither of whom is mentioned in his will. Reports indicate that Hoffman’s estate is valued at approximately $35 million. He left everything to his longtime companion, Marianne O’Donnell, who is also his children’s mother. But Hoffman and O’Donnell were not married at the
How much would that tax had been if they were married? Zero. And how much of the remainder of that estate will be taxed in O’Donnell’s estate when she dies? All of it. So, because they chose not to get married, all of Hoffman’s estate will be taxed twice, once when he died and again when O’Donnell dies. Hoffman’s will does give O’Donnell the right to disclaim assets so she can use some of his exemptions to get the assets to the children. But because Hoffman didn’t update his will, the disclaimer would likely only benefit Hoffman’s son, Cooper, leaving the other two children out. The lack of planning by Hollywood actors is not uncommon. Heath Ledger, who also died from a drug overdose, hadn’t updated his will to include his daughter Matilda Rose, who was 2 when he died in 2008. Had Ledger and Hoffman paid attention to how their wills would distribute their growing fortunes, determining their intent and carrying out their plan could have easily been accomplished. None of us knows when our time will come. But for
time of Hoffman’s death. To make matters worse, Hoffman is a resident of New York state, which imposes another 16% state level death tax. All told, the combined estate tax could reach more than $15 million.
those with any net worth (even if not up to Hollywood actor levels), it’s always a good idea to stay on top of your estate plan.
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INGREDIENTS
TAKE A BREAK!
DIRECTIONS 1. Heat oven to 425 F. 2. In 12-inch cast-iron skillet
• • • • • • • • • • • • • •
1/2 cup butter
1 cup chopped onion 1 cup sliced celery 2 cups sliced carrots
over medium heat, melt butter, then add onion, celery, and carrots. Sauté for 5 minutes. 3. Add flour, salt, pepper, celery seed, and garlic powder to pan and stir. Sauté for 2 minutes. Slowly incorporate milk. 4. Add stock and bring to a simmer, whisking until mixture thickens. Add peas and chicken. 5. Roll out pastry sheet into 16-inch square on floured surface. Cut into 3-inch squares and place overlapping onto chicken mixture. 6. In a small bowl, whisk egg with 1 tbsp water. Brush egg over pastry and place in oven for 25 minutes or until golden and bubbling.
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp celery seed 1 tsp garlic powder
1 cup milk
2 cups chicken stock
2 cups peas
4 cups cooked chicken 1 package frozen puff pastry, thawed
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1 egg
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INSIDE this issue
SUDOKU ANSWER
How the Holidays Can Spur Action PAGE 1 Discover the Most Enchanting Christmas Towns in the US PAGE 2 The Challenges of Simplicity PAGE 2 Hollywood’s History With Wills PAGE 3 Skillet Chicken Pot Pie PAGE 3 The Unbelievable Story of WWI’s Christmas Truce PAGE 4
The best compliments we receive are your referrals. When you refer us to your loved ones, we do all we can to exceed expectations.
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Christmas is a time for kindness, yet for those in the trenches during World War I, no one expected mercy. It was Christmas Eve 1914 when British soldiers huddled in the mud-filled trenches, trying their best to ignore the harsh winter winds. Well, that was when peace broke out all along the Western Front. It became known to the world as the Christmas Truce after countless men wrote about their experiences amid the ceasefire. Records reveal the Germans called over to the British at around 10 p.m. to share some wine. At first, the British soldiers were skeptical, yet as they met halfway along the battlefield, amiable chatter and merriment began.
All along the trenches on various battlefields, French, German, Belgian, and British soldiers followed the Christmas Truce. Men who were shooting at one another the day before began to share cigarettes, sip wine, and joke around. One account even recalled a soccer match between the British and German soldiers.
A German lieutenant named Kurt Zehmisch wrote of the match in his diary. He wrote, “Eventually, the English brought a soccer ball from their trenches, and pretty soon a lively game ensued.” Zehmisch added, “How marvelously wonderful, yet how strange it was. The
English officers felt the same way about it. Thus, Christmas, the celebration of Love, managed to bring mortal enemies together as friends for a time.”
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