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THE LEGAL NAVIGATOR DECEMBER 2022
The History Behind Our Favorite Christmas Decorations It’s a Time-Honored Tradition
FROM THE DESK OF Mike Bryan
By the time you read this newsletter, I hope you have enjoyed Thanksgiving dinner with your family. Now, the very busy part of the season continues as we are preparing
for the rest of the holidays. When spending time with your family, it is important to have conversations not only about estate planning, but also how to plan for the potential of long-term health care costs. As a newsletter recipient, you already know the estate planning techniques available to avoid probate and unnecessary guardianship costs. In addition, you understand that with Medicaid planning, you could still protect up to one-half or more of your assets from being spent down. Lastly, you are aware that if someone is a veteran or a widowed spouse of a veteran, they could receive between $15,816 and $29,175 in tax-free income each year to help pay for health care costs. If you have not talked about these incredible benefits, now is the time to discuss these with your family. Discover answers to all of your questions by
Every year, Americans across the country gather on Dec. 25 to celebrate Christmas. It’s a time often spent opening presents, eating delicious holiday favorites, and spending time with those we love most. Before bringing everyone together for the festivities, we need to decorate the house. That means hanging lights inside and out, putting up a tree, and of course, hanging ornaments. Have you ever wondered where the Christmas ornament tradition began? To fully understand the history behind Christmas ornaments, we need to travel back to the year 723 A.D. Saint Boniface was walking through Germany one night when he came across a pagan gathering. Pagans danced around a decorated oak tree as they prepared to sacrifice a baby in honor of Thor — not the one you recognize from the Marvel movies. Boniface stepped in and chopped down the oak tree in the name of Jesus Christ. Behind the oak tree was a much smaller fir tree. Boniface explained to those gathered that the fir tree symbolizes the one true God. He then gave a short sermon and converted the former pagans to Christianity. Of course, this story is only a legend. There’s no telling how much truth is behind it, if any. Another story states that the beginning of Christmas trees and ornaments dates back to 16th-century Germany. At this time, Christians were just beginning to decorate their trees or pyramid-shaped stacks of wood in anticipation of the Christmas holiday. The protestant reformer, Martin Luther, walked home on a snowy
downloading my book as a gift for your loved ones this year. Visit our website at SWBWLawFirm.com/ estate-medicaid-and-va-planning- an-ohio-guide or use the QR code to the right.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! See you in 2023!
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evening after giving a sermon. He noticed the moonlight shining off the snow, resting on the trees. He was enamored by the beauty and wanted to share this sensation with his family. He decided the best way to do so was to place lit candles on his Christmas tree to give off the appearance of snow dancing in the moonlight. Some sources state that Martin Luther may have been the first to use a fir tree to decorate his home for Christmas. When people first started decorating their homes with Christmas trees, they used various items to act as ornaments. Paper flowers, cookies, and nuts showed that spring and new life would return in the upcoming months. Other baubles were hung simply to add color to the decoration. Traditional ornaments gained popularity in the 1800s after a depiction was released of Queen Victoria celebrating the holiday with her family around a decorated evergreen tree. From that point
on, Christmas ball ornaments were the most sought-after Christmas decoration. By the 1890s, Woolworth’s Department Store had sold American shoppers $25 million worth of German-imported ornaments made of lead and hand-blown glass. Since then, ornaments have been released in all shapes and sizes. For many families, it’s become a Christmas tradition to pick out a new ornament for each family member every year. If you want to do something really special for your kids to create lasting memories and treasured keepsakes, try to make your ornaments each year. You can design them from scratch or buy a pack of plain Christmas ball ornaments and paint them with whatever you like. Make an event out of it, and your entire family will surely have the time of their lives.
I hope you all have a wonderful holiday season and a very merry Christmas!
The History of World Chase Tag Tag, You’re It!
How do you play? The basics of the team game are still simple: Players chase their opponents and try to tag them. But you must follow a few rules. Two teams compete against each other, with six players on each team. Every match, or chase, is 20 seconds long and consists of one player from each team — the chaser and evader. If the chaser, the one trying to tag the evader, fails to tag their opponent in 20 seconds, the evader’s team gets the point. Each team alternates chasing and evading. Whoever has the most points in 16 matches wins the game. You can only make tags with your hands, and if you step out of bounds, you lose the match. Sounds easy, right? Well, instead of running on flat surfaces, the chaser and evader are jumping over bars and blocks, sliding under surfaces, and navigating other obstacles as they attempt to get away from their opponent. Who knew a children’s game would gain such popularity in a decade? Did you know this sport existed? We would love to know your thoughts!
Although tag is best known as a popular children’s game, it’s also a competitive sport. The game combines tag and parkour to create a unique and exhilarating experience for competitors and viewers. But how did this sport come to be, and how do you play it? Let’s find out. It all started in 2012. After playing a game of tag with his son, Christian Devaux started thinking about how he could make this simple and well-loved children’s game into a competitive sport. Devaux told his brother, Damien, about his idea, and the brothers began devising rules to turn the game into a team sport. In 2013, the Devaux brothers began organizing meet-ups for people to play competitive tag, which was a huge success. It quickly gained popularity among parkour athletes and ninja warrior competitors, leading to international competitions. Today, World Chase Tag has gained tons of interest worldwide, with many parkour gyms and clubs creating their own teams. In addition, the national, continental, and world championships are now broadcast on ESPN2.
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Don’t Go Broke for the Holidays
4 STEPS TO CREATING A CHRISTMAS BUDGET
3. Find out how much money you have left over: Subtract your total expenses from your monthly income. The number you get will be the money you have left over for discretionary spending, such as dinner out, a concert, or Christmas presents. But make sure you leave some wiggle room for any unexpected costs. 4. Plan out how much you want to spend on Christmas gifts: Write out whom you want to get gifts for and how much you want to spend. Track your spending as you go to ensure you don’t overspend or forget to buy someone a gift.
Before you head to the mall or add items to your shopping cart online, you want to ensure you have enough money to cover your monthly expenses and buy your loved ones Christmas presents. You may feel overwhelmed about your finances and how you will manage to buy gifts. But if you create a Christmas budget, you won’t break the bank!
How do you create a Christmas budget?
Shop for Christmas on a budget.
1. Write down your monthly income: The first thing you want to do is tally up how much money you bring in each month. This lets you know how much money you have before you take out your expenses. 2. Write down your monthly expenses: You want to tally up the total amount of regular monthly costs, including housing, utilities, groceries, and internet. This also includes cars, credit cards, insurance, and other monthly payments. Be sure to add any streaming or subscription fees to this total.
1. Look at last-minute sales: Tons of retailers will offer holiday sales as we get closer to Christmas. So be on the lookout for stores that mark prices down as St. Nick prepares for his journey. 2. Recycle gift cards: If you received a gift card to a store that you never used (or forgot about), re-gift it this year! Just be sure the card hasn’t expired. 3. Go thrifting: You can find great gifts at your local thrift store. Depending on where you go, you can get clothes, books, silverware, furniture, gadgets, and more. Christmas shopping can be stressful, but by creating a budget and sticking to it, you will survive this holiday season like a pro.
Take a Break!
Whoville Roast Beast
Inspired by TasteMade.com
Ingredients
Directions
1/4 cup brown sugar
Preheat oven to 375 F.
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1.
1 tbsp paprika
In a bowl, combine brown sugar, paprika, pepper, salt, and olive oil. Place roast in a baking pan and coat with spice mixture. Let marinate uncovered in refrigerator for 1 hour. Place pan on stove over high heat. Brown the roast on all sides, then add butter, garlic, and herbs.
2.
2 tsp black pepper
2 tsp salt
3.
3 tbsp olive oil
1 5-lb bone-in rib- eye roast
4.
3 tbsp butter
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2 heads of garlic, halved 2 bay leaves 4 thyme sprigs 2 rosemary sprigs 1/2 cup beef broth 1 12-oz bottle of stout beer 1 15-oz can diced tomatoes (with liquid)
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.
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Celebration Decoration Family Gathering
Gingerbread Hearth Holiday Icicle
Midnight Mittens Present Roots
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE From the Desk of Mike Bryan PAGE 1 Why Do We Use Christmas Trees and Ornaments? PAGE 1 This Game Combines Tag and Parkour PAGE 2 How to Christmas Shop on a Budget PAGE 3 Take a Break PAGE 3 Whoville Roast Beast PAGE 3 Best Christmas Tree Attractions to Visit This Holiday Season PAGE 4
Lighting Up Life One Pine Needle at a Time
Travel-Worthy Christmas Trees
As the holiday season approaches, the twinkling lights and spectacular Christmas tree attractions are always a must-see! Here are the best travel destinations to catch a glimpse of one of the pillars of the holidays. The Rockefeller Center Tree in New York City The Rockefeller Center tree is located just west of 5th Avenue from 47th through 51st streets in New York City and dates back to the Depression era, with the first tree placed there in 1931. This beloved tourist attraction draws thousands yearly with its dazzling lights and grand scale. To even be considered a contender for this role, a tree must be at least 65 feet tall and 35 feet wide! The National Christmas Tree in Washington, D.C. This American favorite has long been a tradition. Every year, the ceremony begins with live performances by musical artists, and an annual highlight is when the president delivers a message of peace. President Calvin Coolidge was the first president to light the National Christmas Tree in 1923. The tree was 48 feet high and decorated with 2,500 red, white, and green electric bulbs. A local choir and a quartet from the U.S. Marine Band performed as the tree was lit.
The Coeur d’Alene Resort Tree in Idaho Also known as the World's Tallest Living Christmas Tree, this grand fir holds the record at 162 feet tall. It is festively decorated with more than 40,000 lights that twinkle in time to the music of “Jingle Bells,” and the tree is crowned with a 10-foot-wide star! The Biltmore Christmas Tree in North Carolina This majestic 55-foot Norway spruce tree is in front of the Biltmore Estate and lit as guests make their way down the path of luminaries. With ornaments and miles of garland, this tree is selected for the Banquet Hall each year for guests from all over to see. Some are lucky enough to live near or in a city with a magnificent tree, but if you don’t, consider traveling to one of these locations to enjoy the holiday with your loved ones.
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