How do you stay sane during the “most wonderful time of the year”?
I try to focus on the positive things that happen around me and take a minute to appreciate it. The fact that we’ve been so very busy at the shop all week makes me realize that people are making a concerted effort to avoid shopping at the “insert corporate / e-commerce giant name here” and instead are trying to keep it real, keep it local, keep it independent. That makes me smile. We have loved all the visits this week and so many NEW customers stopping in for the first time! Thanks for seeking us out! I also appreciate my neighbors, the people in this building who I’ve come to know, and the little interactions with them that happen daily. I feel like we are all part of this big family at the corner of Western & Wilson, watching out for one another, and that feels like what community should feel like.
I’ve never been one for all the holiday swag and usually after a few days the music makes me feel the same way I feel after 24 hours in Vegas. I just don’t usually buy all the wreaths and garlands to get into the spirit of the holidays. But this year Danielle, with her clever Elf ways, changed all my Grinching and we went to The Brown Elephant in Andersonville for decorations. I gotta say, it felt really good knowing we were buying from a place with a mission we support and my God did it ever feel like a Christmas miracle in there! Plus, all proceeds go to benefit LGBTQ health and fund care for the uninsured and under-insured at Howard Brown Health. Not to mention, everything we bought can be donated after the holiday and be resold again next season! Reuse! Recycle! Reinvest in the causes you believe in! When you get creative with getting and giving things it just feels better!
Speaking of Danielle and ways to maintain your sanity during the holidays…she has kept the shop, the Pop-Up events at Esquina, and her boss running smoothly like only a Marathon runner can. We take breaks, we make sure we are eating right (thankful for all the delicious Thai places on our block!) and we try to stay hydrated, get proper sleep, and most importantly we give each other the freedom to take time when we need it. That’s clutch! She will be running the show when I leave for South East Asia this January and finally has her very own staff photo on the website. We all need people in our lives that remind us to take some time for that elusive downtime, especially at this time of year.
We love our customers (especially those of you who open our emails and read them!) and want to have a customer appreciation gathering before I take off…so keep December 29 open for a little party/sale/farewell send-off! Thanks for reading and happiest of holidays if we don’t see you before 2019! We will be open XMAS EVE 11Am – 4PM serving Prosecco and handing out stocking stuffers with all purchases over $50. We hope we see ya this week!!!
xo-
The Ant
