Brauns Law - December 2021

404-418-8244

DECEMBER 2021

WWW.BRAUNSLAW.COM

3175 SATELLITE BOULEVARD, SUITE 330, DULUTH, GEORGIA 30096

One Day at a Time MAKING THE MOST OF LONG WINTER DAYS

If there’s a complicated task I need to complete, I know I should get it done in the morning. After lunch, I’m able to grind out tasks that require less, but in the morning, fresh off a night of sleep, my mind is extra sharp. My wife is different. She’s what we would call a “night owl,” and she seems to have more energy at night. For her, complex tasks are best completed at the end of the day, rather than just after waking up. If my wife tried to follow my habits, she would be too mentally exhausted and never accomplish her daily tasks. Just because I do my best thinking in the morning doesn’t mean she should as well. Far too often, we try to mold our schedules around how we should be able to function rather than how we actually function, and I believe we do ourselves a great disservice when we act this way. Finding where you land on that spectrum can be a great tool — especially now that the days are getting shorter and shorter. The December winter solstice is the shortest day of the year for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, and on this day, we may experience less than eight hours of sunlight due to the Earth’s tilt and rotation around the sun. It’s the culmination of the shortening of days that began back in June, and for many, it’s an emotionally and mentally difficult time. This can be even more taxing now that I live in a state that abides by daylight saving time. When I was living in Arizona — which is one of two states that doesn’t observe daylight saving time — the days felt more natural. Our routines weren’t disrupted by “springing forward” or “falling back,” and from a personal injury perspective, everyone was a lot safer, too. Studies show a tremendous link between the twice-yearly jolt to our internal rhythms and health problems, increased accidents, and more. It’s

a strange practice that once served a purpose, but we could do without it now.

As someone who works a standard 9–5 in an office, these winter days can be some of the most difficult all year long. No one enjoys getting to work before the sun is up and leaving after it’s already set. It makes the workday feel longer, more tiring, and difficult to approach. It’s just hard to find the energy to do anything when there isn’t any sunlight!

I have a few tricks to make this easier. For starters, I live by my calendar. This structure takes the guesswork and confusion out of my day, and it keeps me moving. If you were to look at my calendar, you may find it’s covered with back-to-back meetings, and while that may be a scary prospect for some people, I enjoy that. During these long winter days, continually doing something keeps me energized and focused. I also make it a point to exercise every morning. I get on the treadmill and go for a brisk walk. (I wasn’t made for running!) Afterward, I find I can start my day with a clear, focused mind — no matter how dark it still is outside. I believe that’s the key to making the most out of the same 24 hours we are all given each day. No matter how much sunlight we see on any given day, we all have the same amount of time to accomplish our goals and tasks each day. Finding the moments when we are at our highest level can elevate what we get done and ensure that we get the most out of every day. As the old maxim says, “We just have to take it one day at a time.” -David Brauns

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are covered in glitter. Stick them in the bare spots to fill out your tree, then save them for the next year.

again, until the tree is covered. It’s easier to do and helps camouflage the cord.

BEADED GARLAND

LIGHTS

Beaded garland always looks so much better in the store than it does on your own tree. No matter how much you fiddle with it, it just doesn’t lay right or have the even, dramatic swoops you see in display windows. The true problem is probably that you’ve been hanging your beaded garland incorrectly. You may think there can’t be too many ways to drape beads over branches, but draping itself is the entirely wrong approach. Instead of simply wrapping the beads around the tree and hoping they fall into place, you should attach ornament hooks to the garland along the string. Use the hooks to gracefully hang your garland from the branches and marvel at the simplicity. When your Christmas tree goes up this year, these tips should make the experience faster, easier, and more joyful. You can now use all that time you would have spent wrapping garland to wrap presents instead.

If you use an artificial Christmas tree, we strongly recommend buying one that is pre-lit. If your holiday just doesn’t feel complete without a real tree in the house, hanging the lights can be one of the most frustrating parts of the tree-decorating process.

Get on the right track by setting yourself up for success. Instead

of shoving your lights in a box or bag at the end of the season, wrap them around the outside of the box or around a clothing hanger instead. Getting your lights hung properly

around the tree can be a pain, too. This year, try hanging them vertically on your tree, from base to top and back

Testimonial DON’T JUST TAKE OUR WORD FOR IT

“I was referred to Braun’s Law firm by a friend. I have many years of experience in an industry working with different attorneys, and I have never seen the equal to this firm. David and Erica are the best at what they do. They handled everything in record time.

“Great job in a world where you are a cut above the rest ... thank you!”

–Patricia B.

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THE TRUTH ABOUT CHRISTMAS TREE ADDITIVES Try This Instead to Keep Your Tree Fresh! Just the mere sight of twinkling lights, colorful tinsel, and bright ornaments on a Christmas tree are enough to evoke a little holiday cheer. To get the most out of this merry sight, you may consider adding something to your live Christmas tree’s water to increase its longevity and life. But you may want to think again!

tree you cut and bring into your home is no longer blooming, it doesn’t need the sugar. In fact, the sugar or aspirin does little to keep it fresh, and the sugar may promote mold growth!

KEEP TREES FRESH LONGER

You can get the most out of a Christmas tree by sticking to a few tried-and-true methods. For starters, find the right tree for your home — that is, a tree that is the right size and has a temperament for the humidity level in your home. Ensure the trunk is thick and try bending one of the needles. As Better Homes and Gardens explains, fresh fir needles will snap, while fresh pine needles will bend but won’t break. Once you choose your tree and get it home, cut off a few inches from the trunk, much like you would cut the stems on a bouquet of flowers. Get the tree into

CHRISTMAS TREE FRESHNESS ADDITIVES A MYTH?

water immediately and replenish it regularly with cool, fresh water. Deck the tree in a cool room in your home for optimal freshness, too! And don’t fret if you have always put aspirin in your tree water. The compounds in aspirin may actually prevent mold growth! So, while it won’t help your tree grow, it could stave off the effects of standing water. That just might make this old wives’ tale worth trying.

Not long ago, it was believed that in order to keep a Christmas tree fresh — and therefore prevent it from getting dry and catching on fire — you had to add sugar to the water. Over the years, this idea has taken on many forms, including corn syrup, 7UP, and aspirin. However, these actually don’t do anything for a Christmas tree! Sugar and aspirin are great ways to increase the life of cut flowers and bouquets you may have on display since these plants are still blooming. But since a

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DIY HOLIDAY EGGNOG

Ingredients • 6 egg yolks • 1/2 cup sugar • 1 cup heavy whipping cream • 2 cups milk

• 1/2 tsp nutmeg • 1 pinch salt

• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract • Cinnamon and whipped cream, for garnish

Directions 1. In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sugar until light and creamy. Set aside. 2. In a saucepan over medium heat, stir together the cream, milk, nutmeg, and salt. Bring to a simmer. 3. Add a spoonful of the milk mixture to the egg mixture. Whisk vigorously and repeat, one spoonful at a time. 4. When most of the milk is whisked in, add the egg mixture to the saucepan. 5. Whisk until the liquid thickens slightly or reaches 160 F. Remove from heat and add vanilla extract. 6. Pour the eggnog into a glass container and cover. Refrigerate. 7. When the eggnog has thickened, pour it into glasses, garnish, and enjoy! Inspired by TastesBetterFromScratch.com.

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404-418-8244 | WWW.BRAUNSLAW.COM 3175 SATELLITE BOULEVARD, SUITE 330 DULUTH, GEORGIA 30096

Make the Most of a Winter Day

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Our Clients Say It Best

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Are Christmas Tree Additives a Myth? What We Discovered!

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DIY Holiday Eggnog

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Make Decorating Your Christmas Tree Less Stressful

CUT THE STRESS FROM DECORATING THE CHRISTMAS TREE

BARE SPOTS

Decorating your Christmas tree should be fun, but the process often turns into anything but. Between finding decorations, untangling lights, and trying to get the tree picture-perfect, the happy event can quickly become stressful. Even if you love decorating the tree, you can likely make the experience (and the end product) even better. Here are the most common sources of frustration and how to fix them with minimal fuss.

Whether your tree is natural or artificial, you need to fluff the branches. However, as important as this step is, you don’t need to spend more than 10 minutes on it because let’s face it: There are some bare spots no amount of fluffing will fix. Luckily, tinsel garland hides a wide variety of flaws and might be the easiest solution. If you don’t care for tinsel, tying large gift bows to the tree is festive and covers a lot of space. You can also buy fake twigs that have berries, look like real tree branches, or

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