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December 2022
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PLAYING BY THE RULES Our Family Game Traditions
Who doesn’t love a good game? Whether you’re competitive and crave the thrill of winning, enjoy crafting the best strategy in the room, or simply love spending time with other people crowded around a table, there’s something for everyone. Dec. 20 is Games Day, and my family has played more than I can count over the years — tracing back to far before I was born. Dominoes have been played on my father’s side since my great- grandfather’s time. He played with my grandfather, my grandfather played with my dad, and my dad played with me. My great-grandfather had a trick he always liked to play on each new kid. “I’ll show you my hand if you show me yours,” he’d say. The unsuspecting child would dutifully show him their dominoes, only to have my great-grandfather respond by showing them his actual hand. I like to think he never fooled any of them more than once! My mom grew up in Alaska playing a card game called Triopoly. It’s a combination of Michigan Rummy, hearts, and poker. The game is mainly luck-based with only a bit of strategy, but it’s still fun to play. Another Alaskan tradition her family enjoyed was making ice cream on Christmas and New Year’s by breaking icicles off the roof of the house. These days, we still get together to play Triopoly and make ice cream on New Year’s Eve (but without the icicles!). Another holiday favorite game was Trade Winds, which involved more strategy. It is a board game based on “Treasure Island.” You have a little boat you use to travel around the board and collect treasures, like gold bricks, gems, and barrels of rum. The trick was to get them back to your home port before someone raided you. The game is out of circulation now, but if you ever come across an old copy, it’s a lot of fun! Monopoly was another childhood favorite. My sister and I would have games that lasted for hours upon hours. We played how our mom taught us to play, but later I discovered that she had all these special rules that only applied to us. It was a real eye-opener the first time I played with a friend at his house!
played Connect Four, Chinese checkers, chess, and a game called Quatro, where you pass pieces back and forth to try to create a specific combination while preventing your opponent from doing the same. Later, they loved the game Among Us, a multiplayer video game where one person is an “imposter,” and everyone else must figure out who it is. One of my favorite parts of any game is figuring out the winning strategy and studying the other players to anticipate what they’ll do next. That makes playing with my brother-in-law the most difficult because he likes to switch things up. If the traditional wisdom in a game is to do one thing, he’ll try the opposite for no real reason except to prove that he can. So, you never quite know what his next move will be. But the best part of every game is the company you play it with. Games are a classic way to spend time as a family. You’re focused on a single goal instead of being distracted by TV or your cellphone. Most of all, you have to talk to one another to play! Sometimes the conversation is about what’s happening in the game, and other times it’s about what’s happening in life. Either way, that’s where the real memories are made.
-Aaron Miller
Due to the length, we avoided Monopoly in our house with the girls, but we enjoyed plenty of other games when they were kids. We
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That’s a Wrap Make the Worst Holiday Task Easier
Wrap small gifts with ease. The most difficult items to wrap are the tiny ones. Many people cut little bits of wrapping paper and cover them in tape, but anyone who has ever received such a present knows it’s no fun to open. Others spend money to buy small, beautiful gift boxes. But a more straightforward and less expensive route involves a used toilet paper roll. Remove any residue, place the gift inside, then fold the ends of the roll in. Ta-da — you have an instant gift box. You can also wrap small presents like a piece of hard candy. Instead of struggling to fold and tape, fold the paper around the present horizontally, then twist the edges shut. Keep it simple. There’s nothing more frustrating than realizing you cut your wrapping paper too short. Do you throw it out and recut it? Place a strip of paper over the bare spot? Before you go to any desperate measures, turn the gift diagonally and see if the paper is now long enough to cover the entire present. Whether this hack works depends on your gift’s size and shape, but it’s worth a shot before wasting more time and materials. Oddly shaped gifts seem to cause the most strife of all, though. What do you do with wine bottles, stuffed animals, and other non- rectangular items? The internet has you covered with plenty of detailed tutorials, but we offer a different solution: Go with your gut and do your best. Most people don’t expect your gifts to look picture-perfect. And research by SciTechDaily found that intricately wrapped presents create unrealistic expectations. Those who receive an averagely wrapped gift are more likely to be impressed by the contents than those who get one that looks like Martha Stewart herself wrapped it. So, rest assured there’s nothing wrong with a utilitarian job. What’s underneath the wrapping paper matters most.
Some lifestyle blogs and magazines act like it’s normal to make your own hand-stamped wrapping paper or attach pine cones to gifts with ribbon as a decorative flourish. But when it comes to wrapping presents, most of us just want to get it done. So, we’ve compiled some expert tips to make this year’s gift-wrapping a breeze — or at least less of a chore. Use what’s on hand. Before you start wrapping, you should confirm you have all the supplies you need. But unexpectedly running out of paper, tape, or gift boxes has happened to the best of us. You could run to the store to buy more — or get creative. Wrapping paper is the easiest item to substitute. Brown paper bags work very well, whether or not you make them fancier with ribbons or stamps. A unique alternative is the aluminum foil you already have stored in your kitchen. Meanwhile, cereal boxes can be great if you run out of gift boxes. And if you have too little tape, you can use stickers in a pinch. Best of all, you can tell everyone your material reuse was an eco-friendly choice.
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2023’s Must-See Destinations THINKING ABOUT TRAVELING?
Because of the past few years, it’s safe to say we’re all in need of a vacation. The pandemic put a halt on travel plans, but now that many restrictions have been lifted, people can joyously plan their vacations for 2023. Do you want to make travel plans but are unsure about where to go? Don’t worry; we’ve got you covered. Here are the destinations U.S. News ranks as the best places to visit in the new year.
Island in New Zealand. Enjoy pristine beaches, tropical rainforests, and breathtaking views of the Southern Alps all in one place. Paris also made the list — there’s never a bad time for a romantic trip to the Eiffel Tower. And if you want to stay within the country, you can always visit Hawaii. The Hawaiian island of Maui specifically has unforgettable scenic drives, swimming and snorkeling, and even a volcano.
Take in the sights at America’s national parks. Before the pandemic, people would save up large amounts of money to spend time at crowded tourist destinations like Las Vegas or Walt Disney World. Now, people are more interested in less-crowded outdoor environments. According to U.S. News, some of the best places to visit in the U.S. are national parks. The Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, Yosemite, and Glacier national parks all made the list. If you want to see beautiful scenery with amazing wildlife, visit these national parks! See beautiful places outside the U.S. If you’re interested in traveling outside the continental U.S., some wonderful places are worth exploring. Topping the U.S. News’ list of best places to visit in the world is South
Want a small-town adventure? If you have no interest in leaving the country or heading out into the wilderness, many quaint small towns await. You can visit Bar Harbor, Maine, to experience fabulous bed and breakfasts, plus great restaurants and views. Or you can travel to Telluride, Colorado, for some awe-inspiring views of the mountains — with many festivals throughout the year, it’s worth checking out. Jackson Hole in Wyoming, Lake Tahoe on the border of California and Nevada, and Sedona in Arizona are also great smaller towns that feature fun activities and natural beauty.
TAKE A BREAK
No wonder the Grinch stole this roast beast — it’s absolutely mouthwatering.
Ingredients
Directions
• 1/4 cup brown sugar • 1tbsp paprika • 2 tsp black pepper • 2 tsp salt • 3 tbsp olive oil • 1 5-lb bone-in rib-eye roast • 3 tbsp butter • 2 heads of garlic, halved • 2 bay leaves • 4 thyme sprigs
1. Preheat oven to 375 F. 2. In a bowl, combine brown sugar, paprika, pepper, salt, and olive oil. 3. Place roast in a roasting pan and coat with spice mixture. Let marinate uncovered in refrigerator for 1 hour. 4. Place pan on stove over high heat. Brown the roast on all sides, then add butter, garlic, and herbs. 5. When butter melts, add broth, beer, and tomatoes. Bring to a boil. 6. Transfer pan to oven. Braise until meat is tender, up to 2 hours. 7. Remove roast from pan and let rest for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, strain pan juices and put back into pan and boil until reduced by half. When finished, slice roast and serve with pan sauce.
• 2 rosemary sprigs • 1/2 cup beef broth • 1 12-oz bottle of stout beer • 1 15-oz can diced
tomatoes (with liquid)
Inspired by TasteMade.com
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PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
214.292.4225 www.AaronMillerLaw.com 1400 Preston Road, Suite 118 Plano, Texas 75093 INSIDE THIS ISSUE
1
Celebrating Games Day
2
Gift-Wrapping Made Easier
3
The Most Popular Travel Destinations for 2023
Whoville Roast Beast
4
You’re a Mainstay, Mr. Grinch
BEHIND THE TIMELESS CHRISTMAS TALE How the Grinch Stole Our Hearts
As regularly as Rudolph does, the Grinch appears on our television screens every December. Despite his negative attitude and nefarious intentions, the protagonist of “How the Grinch Stole Christmas!” remains a family favorite more than 60 years after the animated TV special first aired.
The TV special contains nine total musical numbers, the most famous featuring lyrics only Dr. Seuss could have written. “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch” is a hilariously clever song and a highlight of the program. The filmmakers also secured a big win in the voice talents of horror movie legend Boris Karloff, who provided an alternatingly sneering and tender tone to the production. Thanks to its full animation technique featuring 25,000 drawings, Variety says “The Grinch” may have been the most expensive television special made at that time. Later, Hollywood upped the ante with a live-action adaptation in 2000 and an animated full-length film in 2018. Both movies were box office successes, but neither has overtaken the 26-minute TV special as our favorite way to enjoy the Grinch. Why does the Grinch endure? Dr. Seuss based the character on himself, so it may be that there’s a little bit of the Grinch in all of us. Unlike that other well-known holiday-hater Ebenezer Scrooge, he gives those who aren’t full of Christmas cheer a favorable mascot. The Grinch’s wild schemes and comical complaints are more fun than menacing, and his story produces a reliably happy ending. As its greatest gift, an annual viewing can leave even the most hardened Grinch feeling as if their own heart has grown a size or two.
The Grinch’s transformation into a cultural icon began with a 1957 children’s book. Author Dr. Seuss had recently experienced great success with “The Cat in the Hat” and was a hot commodity. He published “How the Grinch Stole Christmas!” later that same year, and the black-and-white book was an instant smash. The story might have ended there if Dr. Seuss had his way.
Dr. Seuss was protective of his creations and didn’t trust them in anyone else’s hands, but his filmmaker friend, Chuck Jones, eventually persuaded him to reconsider. Still, the story required some changes. Jones assigned the Grinch his signature green color, and the Grinch’s dog, Max, was given a more prominent role to increase the special’s runtime. But the songs were the most important of all.
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