“Selling the Magic While Chasing It”
What decades of holiday retail taught me about timing, tradition, and finally being present
It starts the same way every year.
That familiar feeling when the lights go up, the air shifts, and suddenly there’s a reason to gather again.
Happy hours turn into traditions. Meals stretch longer. Laughter comes easier. Everything feels a little cozier, a little more welcoming.
The holidays have always been my favorite time of year—not just because my love language is gifting and quality time—but because of what the season represents: connection, memory-making, and the quiet magic of rituals that feel deeply personal, even if no one else notices them.
For decades, I experienced that magic from both sides of the counter.
The Challenge: Creating Holiday Magic at Retail Speed
I’ve spent much of my career in retail during the holidays—working in stores, developing the perfect gifts, and building immersive seasonal environments designed to spark joy the moment someone walks in. Pieces like buffalo plaid, fur-lined trapper hats that feel instantly nostalgic, stuffed teddy bears bundled in tiny down coats, shiny gold mugs beautifully etched with holiday florals, the perfect red tumbler, and small-but-mighty holiday pins meant to make wrapping feel special.
Some of my favorites were the most thoughtful: custom artwork tying Sumatra and Costa Rica together by a talented Costa Rican artist, a latte art set that invited customers to slow down and create something beautiful at home—objects designed not just to be bought, but to be felt.
It’s a unique tension:
You’re responsible for selling the magic while also being a consumer searching for it yourself.
Behind the scenes, holiday retail is anything but calm. While customers are enjoying the present moment, retail teams are already finalizing winter launches, locking summer product, and sketching out ideas for next year’s holiday season.
There’s rarely time to stop and enjoy now.
The Shift: Experiencing the Season as Just a Consumer
This year feels different.
For the first time, I’m only on one side of the equation—the consumer. And while I still seek out small shops for meaningful gifts and wait eagerly for retailers to bring the season to life (Anthropologie, I see you), the experience feels noticeably less frenzied.
Without the constant pull of what’s next, there’s space to slow down. To notice. To be present.
And that pause has given me perspective.
What I’ve Learned Over the Years
From a retailer’s perspective:
Holiday is festive—have fun with color, but Christmas red still matters.
Somehow, holiday always delivers, even when every production and shipping issue shows up at once.
Almost anything can be giftable with the right ribbon.
Keychains and pins are unsung heroes of holiday add-ons.
Simplicity wins more often than complexity.
From a holiday magic maker’s perspective:
Do what brings you joy—even if no one else notices the color-coordinated wrapping paper.
Traditions can evolve. Some are non-negotiable; others grow with you.
Presence is the real luxury—during the holidays and all year long.
Calm is contagious. When you’re grounded, others feel it too.
The Takeaway: Holding the Magic Longer
This season reminded me that creating magic doesn’t have to mean rushing past it.
Whether you’re building immersive retail experiences or simply choosing how you show up for the people you love, the most meaningful moments come from slowing down enough to notice them.
Happy holidays—and here’s to a hopeful, grounded New Year.
