Well HELLO my dear friends!
You’ve been on my mind so much this week, and I’ve already heard from so many of you about the glimpses of generosity you’ve seen. It fills my heart so much to hear these stories from you. I hope a little of that goodness has reached you too—just enough to bring joy to your spirit and remind you there’s still so much good left in this world.
Back here at the North Pole, the workshop has been buzzing, as you can imagine, and between tying bows and checking lists, I’ve been listening to stories from down in your neck of the woods. Small Business Saturday has come and gone, and goodness, the flurry of support this year was something special. I could feel it all the way up here.
But—and here’s the tender truth—supporting small businesses isn’t really about one weekend a year.
It's about the quiet, everyday ways generosity threads through a community and somehow makes its way back home.
Because when you spend your hard-earned dollars at the little shops woven into your town… something gentle happens.
You may think you’re just picking up a gift, or grabbing dinner from the family-owned diner, or stopping at the local coffee stand for a latte on a chilly morning. But what you’re really doing is helping that shopkeeper keep their lights on. You’re helping a baker pay for new equipment. You’re helping a mechanic hire another set of hands. You’re helping a young woman—like the new intern at Daymaker Gifts—step into her first real work experience.
And the good they do?
It circles right back.
They’re the ones sponsoring your children’s teams.
They’re the ones donating goods for school supply drives.
They’re the ones backing After Prom events and funding scholarship programs.
They’re the ones who give quietly, consistently, without asking for applause.
My friends at Daymaker Gifts do this with such pride—supporting 4H, FFA, scholarship programs, community initiatives and programs, After Prom events, and more. And they’re just one example out of thousands of small businesses across this country who pour their hearts into their communities, even when times are tough… and this year, my friends, it has been tough.
Rent has climbed. Shipping costs have soared. New tariffs, rising taxes, inflation at every corner… and through it all, these small business owners—your neighbors—have shown a kind of grit and heart I deeply admire. Some, heartbreakingly, have even had to close their doors. Not for lack of love… but because the world has asked so much of them.
Yet here’s what moves me most:
Even in hard seasons, they continue giving.
Because generosity is their heartbeat.
And when you support them—even in small ways—you’re part of that heartbeat too.
And that goodness you give?
You feel it.
You really do.
It strengthens your community… and it strengthens you.
It fills your spirit in a way only kindness can.
So if you’ve supported a small business recently—whether by shopping, sharing a post, leaving a kind review, or simply saying “You’re doing great”… you’ve given a gift that will travel far beyond the moment.
This season is a lot for all of us. I know you're carrying long to-do lists, long nights, and long expectations. But please remember: your generosity matters—even the small choices, even the quiet ones.
And it always has a way of coming back. It is my hope you will feel the love you give to your world 100 times over in this season and throughout the year.
This Week’s Generosity Challenge
Offer a little quiet support to a small business you love — leave a kind review, share a post, send them encouragement, or simply let them know their work matters.
And if you’d like to brighten our week, reply to this email and tell me your favorite purchase from a small business so far this season. My friends at Daymaker Gifts love discovering new shops and would be honored to cheer them on right alongside you.
