2021 Ultimate Gift Guide
The holidays are upon us, which means it’s gifting season! I love getting gifts for my loved ones, whether for friends, family, co-workers, staff/team at the office. I love giving them as much as I enjoy receiving them and as such have compiled a list of great gifts that you can share with your loved ones.
The holidays are upon us, which means it’s gifting season! I love getting gifts for my loved ones, whether for friends, family, co-workers, staff/team at the office. There’s something special about gift giving around the holidays that give me the warm and fuzzies. Maybe, it’s the feeling of thanksgiving for me. An ode to getting through yet another year together. Or, maybe it’s the spirit of the season that makes you feel generous and giving. Either way, I love giving them as much as I enjoy receiving them and as such have compiled a list of great gifts that you can share with your loved ones. Some of these I have, will be gifting or are on my wish list. If I had more time I would have totally broke these down into several categories, but consider this my Ultimate Gift Guide.
Lily & Bean Hettie Mini Bag - Great gift for your bff, mom, wife or girlfriend. I love that you can personalize it with your initials and, if you glance really quickly it sort of resembles an Hermes mini Kelly Sellier. By all means, get her the mini Kelly if you can but if a $13K gift is not quite in your budget right now, this certainly gets my vote.
Thumbprint Brandy Snifters - For a couple, dad, husband, boyfriend or male co-worker these set of 2 brandy glasses make an amazing gift and they are Tiffany, darling! So classy.
Double Heart Tag Pendant - So dainty and elegant, this necklace makes a really special gift for your sister, daughter, niece, mom or even your staff/ team. I gifted Tiffany necklaces to my team one year and they absolutely loved them.
Candles - Such a no-brainer and always a simple yet thoughtful gift. Everyone loves candles, why not treat your loved one with the gift of fragrance to set the mood this holiday season.
Mama pendant necklace - for the moms in your life, or for yourself. This one is very cute, I might even get it for myself.
Edge Wine Glasses - I love a good wine glass set and these are so unique and fun. Switch it up a bit from the traditional glass and gift these to your friend or relative that’s always hosting. Choose from a variety of shapes and sizes.
Duffel/Weekender Keep All - Really nice and generous gift for hubby, dad or boyfriend. Great to take on weekend trips or to use as a hospital bag. My husband loves his and uses it for short weekend getaways.
Plush Microfriber Robe - Robes are always a great idea. They are super cozy and make really nice gifts for grandpa, dad, uncle, husband or brother. They’ll be wearing it all year round.
Electric Toothbrush kit - You knew it was coming, no gift guide is complete without oral care goodies. Gifting great oral hygiene habits is always a great idea.
Ionic Facial Steamer - Because, self care. Add this to your skin care routine or gift it to a beauty lover and thank me later.
Paris Baccarat Rouge 540 - Can’t quite think of anything? my go-to will always be perfume (or cologne for men). This is one of my favs right now and it makes a superb gift.
2022 Goal Planner - The gift that keeps on giving all 2022 long! Can be gifted to anyone on your list that is goal oriented and loves writing all their dreams and aspirations down.
Wood and Marble Cheeseboard - For the hostess with the mostest! A great gift for mom, sister, aunt, your neighbor, girlfriend or anyone who loves to host.
Cigar and Whiskey Gift Set - Nice gift for dad, hubby or an uncle who is a cigar and brown type of guy. It can even be personalized. Such a classy gift for him.
6 Piece Personalized Packing Cubes - A very useful gift for a mom, sister, aunt or girlfriend who is frequently on the go and loves a bit of organization. I personally love my packing cubes! What was I doing before them?
Designer Sunglasses - Gift me a pair of sunnies any day. They make such a great gift for your bff, sister, mom, aunt or cousin. Get her chic, fun, classy designer eyewear and she’ll love you forever.
Leather Money Clip Wallet - This reasonably priced wallet can be gifted to any male in your life whether its grandpa, dad, brother, husband or co-worker. They will love it.
Classic Trio Makeup Brush Set - I can only think of one person in my life that would love and appreciate these exquisite makeup brushes: my sister. Gift this luxe set to the beauty-lover in your life.
There you have it, 18 amazing gift ideas this season. I hope you see something you love for yourself or will gift to someone. Happy holidays! and happy shopping friends. Shop early this year, try to beat the holiday rush and avoid shipping delays.
3 Ways To Close Your Office From Christmas to the New Year
Whether you’re a practice owner or an associate doctor, structuring holiday hours can be tricky but something we must always consider when planning our year. There are generally three main schools of thought when it comes to closing a practice for the holidays
Whether you’re a practice owner or an associate doctor, structuring holiday hours can be tricky but something we must always consider when planning our year. There are generally three main schools of thought when it comes to closing a practice for the holidays:
Some docs hate to close the office because they fear they will lose production/money.
Some docs choose to take the week after Christmas for family time and vacation without worrying about the needs of the practice(production) or staff(no work no pay).
Some docs choose to take the week after Christmas off but planned ahead throughout the year to ensure they are able to meet the needs of the practice and staff(no work but vacation pay).
If you or the owner doc struggle with any of the first two schools of thought above, here are some ways to strike a balance:
Create a slightly longer work week
The truth is, most offices are slower towards the end of December. Create an end of year marketing plan for patients to book appointments in the first three weeks of the month. If you are currently working 4 days per week, consider moving to 5 days. The extra days can bring quality production.
Boost production in the preceding month/months
Identify the months where you can increase production to compensate to meet the practice needs for the last week.
Budget Ahead of Time
1)-Evaluate Your Payroll numbers (How much is needed to pay your staff and Bills) and determine the number of
days you need off;
and
2)-Set aside the amount of cash needed in advance (A little bit every month will do the trick)
Be mindful of your staff and compensate them. You will need their help to accomplish these goals. These are a few simple tricks we can employ to close our offices the week after Christmas. Hope this helps. Have a safe and Happy Holiday. See you guys in 2021!!!
Structuring Office Hours Around The Holidays
Every year in our offices there seems to be this age old debate on holiday hours. Practice owners can get tunnel vision where we end up focusing on dollars and cents and “bottom lines.” We get a little hung up on how much we think we will be “losing” if we close the office on certain days. While office closure can affect our bottom line, with proper planning we can figure out ways to work around that issue and make it so the bottom line isn’t affected at all.
Every year in our offices there seems to be this age old debate on holiday hours. Practice owners can get tunnel vision where we end up focusing on dollars and cents and “bottom lines.” We get a little hung up on how much we think we will be “losing” if we close the office on certain days. While office closure can affect our bottom line, with proper planning we can figure out ways to work around that issue and make it so the bottom line isn’t affected at all.
There are some holidays in which it is customary for the office to be closed. Some closures depend on where you practice (City and State) and others will be at the owner’s discretion. For example, it is customary to be closed on holidays such as New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. Other holidays like Veterans Day and Inauguration Day will be dictated by state. District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia are usually closed on Inauguration Days.
Below are the 2020 US Federal Holidays and the closures I plan for my Office:
Dr. Patrice Smith’s 2020 Holiday Schedule
In discussions with other dental professionals about holiday closures, we have different philosophies on when and how to handle closures. For me personally, the week of Christmas is a vacation week. This is the time of year I take to be with family, to relax, unwind and get ready to hit the ground running come January 2nd. I have found that team members also appreciate this time off to do the same. Some of my other dental colleagues feel differently.
Using Dental Benefits
Some of my colleagues argue that the week of Christmas is not ideal for closure since this is when patients have an opportunity to use their dental benefits which typically “run out” at the end of the year, or on December 31st.
Paid or Unpaid Holidays
This again is up to the employing doctor but can sometimes be dictated by labor laws.
Associate Doctor (Salaried) - Paid Holidays
Associate Doctor (Per Diem) - Unpaid Holidays
Full Time Staff Member - Paid Holidays
Part Time Staff Member - UnPaid Holidays
Plan Ahead & Be Creative
If you have an idea that you will take time off from the office / vacation for extended periods, one thing you can do is add one extra day per month to the schedule to make up for that anticipated time off.
Be considerate of your team, properly plan and enjoy time off. Everyone will be happy and the team will be energized and more than willing to give their all after a break.
The UnOrthoDoc's 2017 Holiday Gift Guide
It's the most wonderful time of the year! I love the holiday season and all it's festivities. The holidays mean family time, eating, shopping, gift giving and receiving, parades, holiday parties, cozying up in front of the fire place with hot chocolate in hand and staying in PJ's all day. It truly is magical!
It's the most wonderful time of the year! I love the holiday season and all it's festivities. The holidays mean family time, eating, shopping, gift giving and receiving, parades, holiday parties, cozying up in front of the fire place with hot chocolate in hand and staying in PJ's all day. It truly is magical!
The one thing that I have a love/hate relationship with is gift giving. I love to get (and receive) gifts but it can tend to be a bit expensive and exhausting. So I've done a little digging and put together a gift guide with some of my personal favorite things this year, in hopes that it will make your shopping less of a hassle. You will find gifts for him, her and even your staff/co-workers below.
2. Anthropologie Monogrammed Mugs
3. Baublebar Tassel Earrings Use Code YAY30 for 30% off
4. Rockland Luggage ON SALE*
6. UnOrthoDoc Candles Inquire Via Email
3. Heys Xtrac 3pc. Luggage ON SALE*
Happy Shopping and Happy Holidays!