Raphael & Associates

Happy Friday from the team at Raphael & Associates! Here is another Raphael Random Friday Fun Fact for you to enjoy. This week we’re going to focus our Raphael Random Friday Fun Fact on a telling you about some traditions associated with ringing in the New Year. The New Year represents a new beginning for many- a clean slate full of hope, fortune, and more prosperity than the previous year. The New Year also has many customs and superstitious beliefs associated with it. Here are a few that you may be familiar with. Many enjoy singing the song, Auld Lang Syne at midnight. Auld Lang Syne is a traditional New Year's song that roughly means "for old times' sake". The song is about the friendship and kindness of days gone by but gives a sense of belonging and fellowship into the future. Many, even if they are not part of a couple, will look to share a kiss with someone to ring in the New Year. A kiss at midnight is to ensure the coming year will not be filled with loneliness. Celebrating in Times Square, New York with the dropping of the giant ball at the stroke of midnight has taken place since 1907. Over the years, the ball has transitioned from a 700-pound iron and wood orb to a brightly patterned sphere that is 12 feet in diameter and weighing in at nearly 12,000 pounds. Making New Year's resolutions or goals in hopes of having a better year than the previous year is a practice that was believed to have started with the Babylonians, who made promises to earn favor from the gods and start the new year on the right foot. Some cultures toss a bucket of water out of the window or a cup of water over your shoulder to get rid of last year's tears. As you get ready to ring in the New Year, what traditions do you and your loved ones observe? We hope that you enjoyed this week’s Raphael Random Friday Fun Fact. Have a great weekend!  

Raphael & Associates would like to wish a Happy Kwanzaa to all who celebrate. We hope your Kwanzaa is filled with joy and prosperity. #kwanzaa #happykwanzaa

Raphael & Associates would like to wish a Happy Hanukkah to all our friends and colleagues that celebrate. We send wishes of light, laughter, and love to you and yours this Hanukkah. #happyhanukkah #festivaloflights #hanukkah2024

Raphael & Associates would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas! We hope your Christmas is filled with laughter and prosperity. #merrychristmas #christmas2024

Raphael & Associates would like to wish everyone a Happy First Day of Winter. We hope that you enjoy the colder temperatures and the upcoming winter holidays. #raphaelandassociates #winter2024 #happywinter 

With the Holidays upon us, we understand that millions of Americans intend to take to the road for the holiday weekend this year. Raphael & Associates urge you to drive safely as you travel to your desired destination. If you plan on driving, you can try to reduce sitting in traffic by avoiding travel during peak traffic times, even trying to travel before and after the Holiday weekend. #raphaelandassociates #holidayweekend #travel #traffic #homefortheholidays

As 2024 quickly draws to a close, Raphael & Associates would like to pause for a moment to wish all our clients and colleagues a safe and Happy Holiday season. #happyholidays2024 #seasonsgreetings

With a team of adjusters and examiners averaging over 25 years of experience in the industry, Raphael & Associates has the flexibility and expertise to manage any type of claim. Contact us today for more information on our entire portfolio of services. #claimsmanagement #raphaelandassociates #ra #claims #tpa #ia #team #experience

Happy Friday from the team at Raphael & Associates! Here is another Raphael Random Friday Fun Fact for you to enjoy. For the remainder of the month of December, we’re going to focus our Raphael Random Friday Fun Facts on various Holiday traditions. This week, we’re going to delve into one traditional Holiday dessert that isn’t exactly everyone’s favorite- fruitcake! While many enjoy apple and pumpkin pie as their Thanksgiving dessert, there are also certain desserts associated with Christmas. Treats such as gingerbread, sugar cookies and peppermint are all prevalent during the Christmas season. Even though more than 2 million fruitcakes are sold each Holiday season, it isn’t the most popular dessert served after Christmas dinner. In fact, many people do not like fruitcake at all. In some families, a relative will bring a fruitcake to Christmas dinner as more of a gag than an actual dessert option. The origins of fruitcake go as far back as the Middle Ages, when dried fruits became more widely available. Due to the high cost of ingredients at the time, fruitcakes were only made for special occasions, such as weddings and holidays, particularly in Victorian England. It is believed that America’s partaking of fruitcakes on Christmas was inspired by the British. But while fruitcakes are still beloved in many European countries, in America, a slice of fruit cake is the last thing anyone wants on their plate. Fruitcake aversion is woven into the very fabric of our country. The cake was said to have been initially baked in 1794 as a Christmas gift for George Washington. Washington sent the offending cake back with a note that said it was, “unseemly for Presidents to accept gifts weighing more than 80 pounds, even though they were only eight inches in diameter.” Our disgust for this cake often makes it the butt of jokes. Of this dense fruit studded cake, Johnny Carson once said, “There is only one fruitcake in the entire world and people keep passing it around.” Hating fruitcake seems so expected that it’s become a part of our cultural collective identities. But if we hate it so much, then why does it continue to be purchased and gifted? Some believe that the distaste for fruitcake was a result of changing taste preferences. For much of the 20th century, the American food palette was centered around sugar, fat, and salt. Lighter, very sweet cakes became the dominant dessert, and those are the antithesis of fruitcake. Fruitcake is just a taste that fell out of habit and became a dessert associated with the old and out of touch. As a result, ended up a punchline for jokes around Christmas time. So, when you’re shopping for you Christmas dinner, we dare you to pick up a fruitcake and give it a try. Who knows, you may enjoy it. We hope that you enjoyed this week’s Raphael Random Friday Fun Fact. Have a great weekend!

The Mediation Team at Raphael & Associates have been handling claims mediation for more than 46 years. They have an unparalleled track record in finding successful resolutions in a timely fashion that are mutually satisfactory for both parties. Reach out to Raphael & Associates today if you would like to discuss our Claims Mediation services with one of our team members. #raphaelandassociates #claimsmediation #mediation #46years #successfulresolutions