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As of late, my curiosity’s been piqued on the origin of the holidays we celebrate. In this edition, I consider the roots of our most confounding holiday symbol, the Easter Bunny. At best, he’s an ankle-breaking head-fake to distract children from the true meaning of Easter, the Greatest Comeback of All Time, Jesus’ resurrection. And like his counterpart Santa Claus, he helps line the pockets of opportunistic capitalists who cash in on his image as willing consumers go insane buying up mounds of candy and gifts to pile in Easter baskets that have become increasingly more extravagant over the years. I was surprised by several things I learned from articles I found online, “ The Ancient Origins of the Easter Buny” from Smithsonian magazine and “ Easter Symbols And Traditions” from History.com. The Easter Bunny’s origins stretch back far beyond the Cadbury candy company. It turns out that the Easter Bunny originated to celebrate the most basic human interest, the preservation of the species. The Easter Bunny Is Not Who You Think He Is The Easter Bunny was once a fertility god. Prehistoric Europeans honored the hare as a fertility symbol due to its prolific reproduction rates. Archaeologists have found evidence of ritual human burials with hares, representing rebirth. Julius Caesar himself noted that Brits refused to eat hares for spiritual reasons. As pagan civilization slogged on, the hare became the symbol of the Anglo-Saxon goddess of spring, Eostre. Yep, that’s where the holiday’s name comes from. In Germany, a centurieslong tradition of an egg-laying hare sheds light on where that part of the holiday comes from. You read that right. Its name was Osterhase, and children made nests for it to lay colored eggs — a reminder of new life in spring. German immigrants brought that tradition to Pennsylvania in the 1700s. Over time, the custom spread, and here we are. Just How Big Is the Easter Bunny? Easter is the second highest candy-selling holiday after Halloween. The National Confectioner’s Association reports that around 16 billion jelly beans are made for Easter. To further prove I just don’t get the secular trappings THE EASTER BUNNY CAME FROM WHERE?! The History of the Hopping Holiday Hare
of Easter, the top-selling non-chocolate Easter candy is the sugary marshmallow Peep, which tastes to me like sweet gooey sand. But as Jesus said, who am I to judge? Eat all you want. Plus, it’ll make it easier for me to take your Robin’s Eggs and Reese’s Peanut Butter Eggs.
I hope your Easter is filled with joy, wonder, and no tummy aches!
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The pandemic slowed us down. Over the past few years, we collectively took fewer vacations, boarded fewer cruise ships, and avoided airports. However, many studies and reports show that now, more than ever, Americans are taking longer vacations! Why might this be, and what are some of the greatest destinations for an extended stay? According to Amex Travel’s 2022 Global Travel Trend Report, 55% of vacationers are interested in taking longer trips because they can work remotely. The trend of swapping homes is also on the rise. HomeExchange’s website reports that home exchanges of two weeks or more increased by 13% in January-May last year. According to Travel Pulse, 26% of people opt to take a trip that exceeds 10 days. If you are interested in taking a more extended vacation, whether it’s because your job went remote, you lost out on travel time in 2020-2022, or you saved on gas money while working from home, here are some great destinations that support a longer stay. Visit the national parks. There is no better way to connect with nature than to tour the national parks. Several epic national park road trips could allow you to pack in a dozen or more of these natural gems in just a couple of weeks! Many national parks also accommodate RVs for comfort and convenience. ALL ABOARD THE EXTENDED VACATION TREND Top 3 Vacation Destinations for a Longer Stay TESTIMONIAL
Drive the California coast. A trip up and down the California coast never disappoints. With so many great places to stop and breathtaking views to absorb, you’ll need at least two weeks to experience them properly. You’ll want to explore the Redwood National Forest, the Lost Coast, Pebble Beach, Monterey Bay, Half Moon Bay, Big Sur, Venice Beach, and many more! Hop aboard a cruise. A cruise is one of the best ways to see many destinations in one trip. You could visit several countries in just two weeks, stopping in different ports to explore! On a cruise, you could see the Caribbean one day and wake up somewhere completely different the next day with a new adventure ahead!
“After working for over 55 years, I had an accident at work. Everyone was telling me that I needed an attorney. I searched online, and Holland & Usry had great reviews. I called and spoke with Rob, made an appointment, and he took it from there. Rob and his staff were excellent, answered all my questions. Rose, his assistant was very helpful anytime I called. He had written a book about the process and, boy, was that helpful. I never was in the dark about where in the process we were. If ever in doubt, call and Rob, Rose, and Pam will take care of you.”
–Karen Stein, Inman workers' comp client
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OVERTURNED! A Case of Workers’ Compensation Claim Denial we took a closer look, we were able to prove this claim didn’t apply to her situation. We combed through her old medical records and compared them to her current ones. While Fran had some back trouble over the years, none of it was close to the pain and discomfort she experienced after her injury on the job. Her primary doctor and her orthopedists confirmed this. Five months after the work injury, she could not work at her old job. Due to these findings, we were able to prove that Fran had what we call an “aggravation case” since her doctors were able to confirm the work injury she endured made her prior back and spinal arthritis worse. Most important for Fran, workers’ compensation will cover a previous condition made worse by a work-related injury. We then worked hard to develop the medical evidence to prove this to the insurance company. To strengthen her case, we hired a vocational expert to evaluate Fran to determine what jobs she could now qualify for after the injuries she sustained. It was revealed that although she could return to the workforce in some capacity, she wouldn’t ever earn close to what she did with her former employer. As the hearing date neared, we were able to achieve a settlement of $100,000 to provide financial security for Fran!
Our client, Fran, contacted us with a disputed South Carolina workers’ compensation case against her employer, a huge manufacturing company in Greer. For roughly two years, she had attempted to handle the claim independently, and the legal deadline for her filing date was quickly approaching. As a faithful employee, she didn’t want to file, but her injuries left her out of work, and she became desperate when her employer wasn’t willing to help her. Despite clear symptoms from her work injury (immediate, intense pain in her lower back that soon continued into her legs), her employer refused to provide her with workers’ comp medical treatment. The employer deemed her injuries “preexisting.” Here at Holland & Usry, we’re familiar with that — it’s a favorite defense term to deflect responsibility and not pay benefits. But we weren’t afraid of it. Once
Past outcomes don’t guarantee future results. Every case is different, and all cases depend on unique facts and laws.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” –Proverbs 3:5-6 “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” –Isaiah 41:10 Good News
Tasty Spinach Artichoke Dip
Inspired by DinnerAtTheZoo.com
Ingredients
Directions 1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Coat a small baking dish with cooking spray. 2. In a medium pan, steam or sauté spinach until wilted. When spinach cools, ring out excess water, then chop coarsely. 3. In a large bowl, mix cream cheese, sour cream, spinach, artichoke hearts, garlic, salt, pepper, Parmesan cheese, and 3/4 cup of mozzarella cheese. 4. Spread the mixture onto the prepared baking dish. Top with remaining mozzarella cheese. 5. Bake for 20 minutes or until the dip is bubbly. Turn the oven to broil and cook for an additional 2–3 minutes so the cheese will begin to brown. 6. Immediately serve with bread, crackers, or tortilla chips.
• 8 oz spinach leaves • 8 oz cream cheese, softened • 1 cup sour cream • 3/4 cup chopped marinated artichoke hearts • 1 tsp minced garlic • 1/2 tsp salt • 1/4 tsp black pepper • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese • 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided • Sliced bread, crackers, or tortilla chips for serving
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* This newsletter is intended to educate the public about personal injury, workers’ compensation, criminal defense, and family law issues. You can copy and distribute it as long as you copy the entire newsletter. But the newsletter is not intended to be legal advice; you should ask a lawyer about your specific case. Every case is different, and all case outcomes depend on unique facts and laws.
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INSIDE this issue 1. Pagan Traditions Made the Modern Easter Bunny
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2. Top 3 Extended Stay Destinations
2. Testimonial
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3. How We Helped Fran’s Claim Denial
3. Tasty Spinach Artichoke Dip
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4. Putting Together a Self-Care Routine
If you no longer want to receive this newsletter, call Pam at 864.582.0416 or email Rob@bhollandlawfirm.com .
FIND MORE ‘YOU’ TIME
Developing a Self-Care Routine
Become intentional. When developing a self-care ritual, it’s essential to identify your reasons behind taking better care of yourself and to pinpoint your needs. With a clear vision and motive behind your efforts, developing healthy habits to nurture and incorporate into your everyday routine becomes easier. Create large and small self-care options. You don’t need to do the same self-care ritual all the time, but make it a point to do something for yourself every day. On busier days, you may only have a moment to take a few deep breaths and mentally reset, but on other days, you may have time for a relaxing bath, massage, workout, or pedicure. Make time for hobbies. Most people find themselves constantly juggling countless tasks and obligations. With so much to do, making time for your least
favorite activities likely won’t happen; instead, do something you enjoy. After all, self-care is about you! Yoga, reading, journaling, jogging, and meditating are just a few ways to get in some “you time.” If you like it, do it! Plan your self-care time. Without adding self-care to your schedule, your healthy behaviors may get placed on the back burner. Block off time for your favorite activities: Once it’s on your calendar, you’re more likely to work a routine into your day. Keep it simple. Complex rituals may create more stress or anxiety when you should be relaxing. Instead, keep it simple by focusing on relaxing, breathing, and recharging. Go for a walk in the park, take a nap, get a massage, stretch, or take a few moments to do absolutely nothing. Simplicity is the key.
Life isn’t easy — when juggling a career, family, children, social obligations, and housework, finding time for yourself can be difficult. Studies show that roughly 59% of individuals only make time for self-care after they’ve become stressed out. Here are some ways to develop a healthy routine that suits your busy life.
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