The Holidays Are Essential

By Sarah White

2020 has been a year like no other in my lifetime, and I pray I never see another one like it. The fear of my friends and family getting sick, the worry over those who have lost their livelihoods, the anguish that comes from thinking of those at home in abusive relationships or struggling with depression, the impact on our economy . . . one of these alone is hard enough; but combine all of them together — that is a heavy burden to carry.  That is why I hereby declare the holidays as essential!

The holidays revolve around joy, friends and family, and traditions. They make us happy — well, sometimes, they can be a little bit stressful . . . but in the end, we usually would not trade the memories for the world. Yes, you still need to practice social distancing and may not be able to attend all the holiday parties, family gatherings, or crowded shopping malls that you usually associate with the holidays; but that doesn’t prevent you from forging a new path this year. Find what brings you joy and do it.

Here are some suggestions for ensuring a very merry (and safe) holiday season:

  1. Get those decorations up — forget the Scrooges. Who doesn’t enjoy sitting and looking at holiday lights?
  2. Set up a Zoom call or FaceTime during the holidays — connect with your family, especially if you have older loved ones who don’t often see each other or family spread across the country.
  3. Do some retail therapy online — just don’t go too crazy; we want our creditors’ rights paralegals employed, but we would rather you not be on the debtor end of their caseload.
  4. Send small, inexpensive gifts or greeting cards — let your friends and family know you are thinking about them.
  5. Explore your culinary skills in the kitchen — make baked goods for your neighbors, shut-ins from church, or co-workers.
  6. Don’t be afraid to poke a little fun — laughter is the best medicine; send a “frazzled” family photo card or buy that 2020 dumpster fire, toilet paper, or mask ornament.

We have learned a lot this year about what is deemed to be essential. I would add to that list our family, our friends, our well-being, all of you, and the holidays! Go make the best of this plot twist and let the good times roll (pun intended). Go be a Cindy Lou and vow to have a wonderfully weird holiday this year!

Wishing you all a safe and happy holiday season.

Sarah L. White, ACP, NCCP is a paralegal with Ragsdale Liggett PLLC in Raleigh. She focuses in civil litigation and insurance defense, handling cases in all of North Carolina’s state and federal trial court divisions and appellate courts and manages the firm’s eDiscovery platform and continuing education courses with the North Carolina Department of Insurance. Sarah received her B.S. degree in Criminal Justice from East Carolina University and her Post-Baccalaureate Certificate from the Program for Legal Assistants at Meredith College. She has earned the designations of Certified Paralegal, Advanced Certified Paralegal in Litigation, and North Carolina Certified Paralegal and received the North Carolina Bar Association’s 2018 Distinguished Paralegal Award. She is a member of the Paralegal Division of the North Carolina Association of Defense Attorneys, Council Member for the Paralegal Division of the North Carolina Bar Association, and Chair of the Paralegal Certification Committee for the North Carolina State Bar.

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