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Wednesday, November 24, 2021

The Kickoff: Holidays 2021


Let the season begin! That old excitement is back in the air. What can we expect? A white Christmas in many parts of the country. People on the move. Crowded airports and train stations. Busy restaurants. Americans happily spending money again.

Forget the “need-to-haves”. Americans are ready for the “I deserve-to-haves”

Salesforce is predicting demand for products in the adventure industry–luggage, sporting goods, and vacation-wear purchases will increase as Americans get back to planning trips again. After a year of living virtually, we’re looking forward to in-person celebrations. A year of schlumping around in sweats has led to our wanting to buy clothes again. Party clothes, glitter and glamorous accessories. Consumers with money in their pockets will be looking to upgrade their wardrobes with investment pieces like jewelry and watches that they can show off.

And the family thing? For many, it never gets any easier

This year the conflict transcends the usual criticism over children’s life choices. Polarized politics and Covid have created mine fields for many families. Some people are not inviting unvaccinated family members to Thanksgiving; others are scoffing at relatives who insist on masks.

“Now it’s no longer whether you just disagree about the long-term effects of climate change,” said Jill Suitor, a sociologist at Purdue University, where she leads a project investigating family conflict in 550 multigenerational families, “but whether you believe that having certain family members present poses a serious danger to other family members.”

But those classic fights about politics or where to spend Christmas are really about something much deeper, especially in 2021. Psychologists caution us that we’ve been through a lot. There’s a yearning for love, connection and, above all, belonging. There’s a theme of “We hope that our parents will understand this year. Maybe this time, my in-laws will accept me.”

But after a year apart, we’re further apart

Feelings will be hurt this year and efforts to express love may be clumsy, awkward or marred by pride and stubbornness. Though the pandemic has increased tensions within families, it has also created an opening. Now more than ever, people are recognizing the importance of being together, understanding how precious and fleeting life can be. There will be a lot of empty places at holiday tables, and we’ve experienced painful losses. Being grateful for our blessings may inspire us to lead with love and tolerance this holiday season.

 

One thoughtful action item for your family this holiday: Create or update your Living Trust.

As you prepare your home for winter and get caught up on vaccines that will help you and your family stay healthy through the coming months, this is also a great time to create or update your Living Trust. With families gathered for the holidays, it’s also the perfect time to encourage aging family members to create their Living Trusts.

We’re proud of our comprehensive Living Trust package that includes a Power of Attorney and Advanced Healthcare DirectiveBest of all, we guide you through it and we prepare the legal documents. Schedule an appointment with Guideway today.

Guideway services the entire Bay Area

Berkeley, El Cerrito, Richmond, Pinole, Alameda, San Leandro, Castro Valley Newark, San Lorenzo, Concord, Alamo, Danville, Lafayette, Orinda, Moraga, Pleasant Hill, Martinez, Pittsburg, Antioch, Brentwood, Oakley, Discovery Bay, Pleasanton, San Ramon, Livermore, Tracy and Fremont. Our clients also live in the Napa Valley, Benicia, Vallejo, Martinez, Fairfield.

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