O.K., call me a cynic—after all, I am a journalist, and cynicism is a requirement for the profession. But here’s the truth (and I know I’m not alone): I hate the December holidays. Absolutely no one I know really enjoys traveling in December (especially with small children), and then be crammed in a relative’s home (or a hotel). It only gets worse when the children get married and the tribes expand—so navigating holiday events can be more complicated and exhausting than trying to drive from Silicon Valley to San Francisco at 5 p.m. on a Friday.
Almost every TV advertisement creates expectations that are almost impossible for any human to meet: uber-happy family members smiling and laughing while eating lots of red meat, carbs, and drinks. And speaking of alcohol, do you know many families that can remain warm and cozy for more than two hours when the whole gang gets together? The dirty little secret is that families can be very difficult—no matter how much they love each other.
So here’s an alternative to the annual family drama: Escape! Here are some excuses you can use to leave early—or skip out entirely—from your holiday obligations!
How Time Tracking And Passive Tracking Tools Are Helping Law Firms Capture More Revenue
Discover how passive time-tracking tools help law firms boost revenue, reduce billing errors, and save time—featuring insights from the 2025 MyCase Legal Industry Report.
• Las Vegas, Dec. 16. “HR Law.” “The conference will cover areas like understanding the laws related to protected classes, handling discrimination claims, pay practices and electronic mail and voice mail and many more.” National Seminars Training. (Might be a stretch to explain why you would need to stay in Vegas through the holidays.)
• New York, Dec. 19-20. “Nuts and Bolts of Corporate Bankruptcy 2016.” HG.org Legal Resources. Organized by Practising Law Institute.
• New York, Dec. 22. “Ethics for Corporate Lawyers 2016.” Also: “Staying Out of Trouble in 2016: The In-House Attorney-Client Privilege and Ethics and Technology Quiz Show. HG.org Legal Resources. Organized by Practising Law Institute.
• Casablanca, Morocco, Dec. 25. “International Conference on Arts, Social Science, Economics and Education.” Conal Conference Alerts. “This conference is for those who are interested in presenting papers in all fields of social science, education, Technology and Social Science. Organized by: Ontario College for Research and Development. (Probably a good idea to check whether you could get CLE credit, but your expanded family doesn’t really need to know the details.)
How You Can Take Control Of Your Firm’s Financial Future
Roadblocks to data-driven business management are falling, and a better bottom line awaits.
• London, U.K. Dec. 30-Jan. 6: “Britain Pacific Legal Conference.” Academic sessions: University of London. Accommodation: Radisson Blu Edwardian, Kenilworth. CPE Conferences.
• Dubai-UAE: January 1-2, 2017: “International Conference on Education, E-Governance, Law and Business.”
Then again, why not grab your suitcases and head to Hawaii (I prefer Kauai) or your favorite warm venue? Forget about legal education and CLE requirements—just soak in the sun and do no work for a few days! That just might be the best possible holiday for you—and your family!
HOLIDAY WISHES
Despite my cranky approach to the holidays, I do sincerely offer my annual hopes for all of you as we end the very strange 2016. (But the CUBS WIN!!!)
I wish you strong health; joyful noise and quiet; much kindness and as little anger as possible. Music always, forgiveness and acceptance; colors bright and soft; companionship and solitude; work that inspires you; a dog at your feet and a cat in your lap; and a big scoop of peppermint ice cream!
See you next year!
Monica Bay is a Fellow at CodeX: The Stanford Center for Legal Informatics and a columnist for Above The Law. She also writes for Bloomberg BNA’s Big Law Business and is an analyst and consultant. A member of the California Bar, she frequently can be found at Yankee Stadium. Email: [email protected]. Twitter: @MonicaBay.