Christmas, New Years, and Beyond

With the holidays approaching, it is getting busy around here so before I forget...

• Merry Christmas!  Here's hoping you have a loud and crazy or quiet and serene, family-filled or family-free, minimalist or gifting overload Christmas (your choice, whatever makes you happy).
• Happy New Year!  Be safe of course and plan ahead so if you drink you won't drive.
• Consider a new way to celebrate the holidays (in the case of my city, I just found out that the local parks service will be offering midnight hikes to celebrate the New Year which, in my opinion, will be about a hundred times better than celebrating on the Las Vegas Strip...but that's just me).
• Set some challenging New Year's resolutions.  Yes I know that these usually fail by week two (judging by the packed gyms the first week of each new year and then crickets by the first week of February).  If you need something to really push you, pay to do something you are kind of iffy about currently (pay the $100 for that marathon, book your flights and hotel...the financial loss if you chicken out should be its own kind of motivation).
• Resolve to take care of your money situation this year.  Double your income, develop multiple streams of income, get out of debt once and for all, set up that investment account you have been thinking about...
• And as always, protect yourself and your family.  Be aware of your surroundings, watch out for fraud and scams, carry concealed if that is your thing, wear your seat belt.  Better to be prepared and not need it than not be prepared and suffer the consequences.