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Stewardship Advisory Group eNews: December 2014
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The Myth of the Store-Bought Christmas


During the past few decades, this time of year has become a time of high stress, frantic shopping, and frenzied gift opening – a practice that has left many people with big debts and little sense of well-being.

Today, however, a growing number of people are focusing on reducing debt and saving more, creating an opportunity to pause and reflect on what really matters this Christmas season. It’s an idea that Dr. Seuss shared long ago:
 
"And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow,
Stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so?
It came without ribbons.
It came without tags.
It came without packages, boxes, or bags.
And he puzzled and puzzled 'till his puzzler was sore.
Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before.
What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store?
What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more?
"
 
While it's certainly not wrong to enjoy the tradition of gift-giving (and receiving), it's always good to remember that buying more and getting more will never truly "make the season bright."

Christmas never comes from a store. It already came a long, long time ago and is the greatest Gift mankind will ever receive. He wasn't wrapped in bows or tinsel or a brown paper package tied up with string. Instead, He was wrapped in swaddling clothes and was found lying in a manger. And John 3:16-17 reminds us why Jesus came to us that night. "For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him."

We wish you and your family a truly blessed holiday season this year and hope you enjoy cooking, baking, decorating, and even shopping. But as you check off those things on your Christmas list, we hope you'll take time to reflect on that Gift you never have to buy. It was already paid for a long time ago.

Read more about the greatest Gift and the true meaning of Christmas here.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Reference:
Dr. Seuss: How the Grinch Stole Christmas! New York: Random House, 1957.
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A RESTFUL HOLIDAY
 
According to Webster’s dictionary, a holiday is a period
of relaxation. That may make “holidays” the wrong term to describe what many people experience this time of year. Here are some tips that can help make the holidays a truly relaxing experience:

Set monetary expectations.  It can be a good idea to set a dollar limit for presents and, depending on your children’s ages, share the limit with them.  This gives your children an opportunity to learn about the value of money and prioritize their wants and needs.  The most memorable presents are often shared experiences. 

Enjoy family time.  One of the keys to making family time less stressful is remembering that you cannot control other people (especially not your parents); you can only control your response to them. 

Keep things in perspective.  Keep your sense of humor handy and remember: the things that don’t go quite right often become family lore – tales that are repeated and enjoyed at every holiday gathering. 
 
Stewardship Advisory Group
Jeff Rogers, CEP®
Founder & Chairman
885 Sedalia Street
Suite 102
Ocoee, FL 34761
407-470-1405
Stewardship Advisory Group
Don Purcell, CPA/PFS
Stewardship Coach
431 Woodcrest Street
Winter Springs, FL 32708
407-470-1406
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Jeff Rogers and Don Purcell are Registered Representatives Offering Securities through UNITED PLANNERS FINANCIAL SERVICES Member: FINRA, SIPC. Advisory services, financial planning, estate planning, and insurance services are offered through Stewardship Advisory Group, LLC. Stewardship Advisory Group and United Planners are not affiliated companies. 
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