I love this time of year, for many reasons.
Christmas is a time that people are reminded about the joy of giving, and simple kindness towards others.
That’s one thing.
But there have been celebrations of the shortest day of the year and the steadily growing length of the days afterward since the dawn of civilization.
The Pagan celebration of Yule, the name for which many of us are familiar with from (ironically) multiple Christmas carols.
It was the perfect time for Christ to come into the world. This is true.
My parents have transitioned from this level of the world some time ago, Mom in 1995, and Dad in 2009, and these past few years I find myself thinking about the experience they gave us each Christmas in Southern Los Angeles.
Mom was a big believer in wrapping a bunch of small things, which made for a whole pile of cool-looking presents under the tree.
Of course, they propagated the entire Santa Claus myth for us, and I can even remember the year they clued me in with a solemn vow to not spoil it for my little brother.
I felt like I had been let in on a huge secret. They assured me I was a “big boy now.”
Funny, the little vignettes of your past you can recall, isn’t it?
I didn’t even experience winter snow until I was 10 years old, when my Dad and I took a trip here to Colorado to visit family and do a little skiing.
It was all good, though.
But I do love living near the mountains as an adult, with the possibility of a white Christmas every year.
I like this period of time, the slow implacable winding-down of the year.
I’ve been thinking a lot about how accounting and business uses the calendar as a benchmark, and the relationship between that and the natural heartbeat of the planet.
At least, of course, the northern half of it. In Brazil they’re running around in bikinis and Speedos.
That’s my imagination at work, anyway.
For my company, and all of you entrepreneur types it’s significant because it represents one final month to meet our goals and expectations for our businesses.
For some, it’s even a good time to make a final large investment in the business to reduce net income reported.
Which of course means less tax.
If you need “the thing” in the next couple of months anyway you MAY want to take a look at buying it by December 31st.
Or not, if you’re confident your income is going to be much higher next year.
Tax planning, in my head anyway, really boils down to a yin-yang balance.
Planning for the choice that leaves you better off in the long run.
Along with opening up my creative soul to figure out what our closest family might find joy opening on Christmas morning, I’m also taking a little non-stressful time to gather together information.
What charitable giving have we done since January 1? Do we have our receipts, or does our church or other major benefactor have our updated information to send out donor letters?
Have we taken a good look at the most recent payroll register for anybody in the household that has a wage-earner job?
Reviewing our IRS Account Online, as well as our home state’s equivalent, to get our minds wrapped around how much has been paid in so far, and to get ready for the final Estimated Tax payment on January 18, 2022.
Along with this last part, how is our dedicated tax savings account balance? Did we remember to deposit the capital gains rate for that stock we sold last month when the market was up?
These are just the tax things.
How about taking out the financials we’ve provided you, particularly for the last months that make up the fourth quarter, October and November, and tracking cash flow.
Is it up? Is it down? This is important if you’d like to make a larger draw for your family to enjoy all the love and laughter and happiness of the holidays.
I love this time of year because the top half of our planet is winding down toward a metaphorical sleep period.
Then, a week and a half before 2022, the days begin getting longer day-by-day.
I don’t know, maybe I have a little leftover flower child in me from the 70’s, but the Winter Solstice energizes me.
I’m in love with the idea of the world going to sleep and dying (in the case of much of the plant life), and then being born anew.
Heading inexorably toward spring.
I have a belief that the new year is going to be incredible for many reasons.
Largely because believing is the first step toward achieving.
We have the ability to serve others while serving ourselves and our families by growing and scaling our businesses.
It’s such a good time of year to give thanks for what we’ve accomplished.
To take stock, and plan for the rest of December.
And, to plan for the best possible year ahead.
Here’s to what I hope is the homestretch of a blessed and joyful year full of victories great and small.
And to the feeling of peace that comes over the world with the rebirth of the world.
May peace be with you all this final month of the year.