I figured this was about a good time to explain what one can expect at Pink Moon Goods at the holidays. I am not gonna sugarcoat it...this is a tough time of year. I don't want to dwell on the myriad of reasons for that but suffice to say you have an idea in your head of why it could be hard for someone even if you yourself enjoy the heck out of it. I happen to be one of the blessed people that experienced more or less happy holidays as a kid. My parents couldn't be extravagant but they found ways to make it exciting and I never felt any lack. I feel grateful to have pleasant memories to look back on. What stands out to me now are the early childhood memories of the experiences that we had at my Grandmothers. This was our afternoon stop for all holidays. We would spend most of the day lounging and eating and watching Twilight Zone marathons. There would be time set aside to sit around the table and play Spoons or 99. There was definitely lots of bickering (maybe more like loud yelling) but mostly good natured disagreements about insignificant things.
This is all just to illustrate that in spite of having a seemingly normal relationship with the holidays I feel like as an adult its gotten more complicated. Some years I feel like celebrating more than others. I am somewhat of a minimalist in terms of accumulating stuff that needs to be stored. Of course I have a ton of fabric and dishes and stationery but that all serves some purpose. It's the stuff that you have to take out and put out and make room for and then put it all back away again that I have not always enjoyed. We have two smallish holiday boxes at home (one for Christmas and one for Halloween) and I have one small one in the shop. However, that being said, I do really enjoy the little bit that I have. Every year that I do decide to set some holiday decor out I really enjoy opening those boxes and rediscovering the family heirloom and handmade ornaments in my collection.
In short, I do really enjoy the holidays and every year I feel the need to move more in the direction of making the days I have with family and friends special because if anything else we are so blessed to have one another and to have the resources and the time to set aside to imbibe in all of the delightful things the holidays can hold. But I really do not like the obligations of gift giving and I do not like to feel obligated to spend Christmas Day in a way that doesn't suit me. I want to eat the food I like to eat and drink the drinks I like.
After reading about my personal feelings you might have already figured out that the holidays at Pink Moon Goods are close to what it's like everyday at Pink Moon Goods. We don't have a ton of holiday themed goods (but of course we have a few and I am going to share those with you here) and we don't decorate a ton (but I do have a tiny fake tree with some adorable tiny ornaments you will see out on the floor soon). We do stock up quite a bit on our typical inventory. I take seriously the role Pink Moon Goods plays in helping you create your holiday magic. Nothing makes me more sad than running out of something that someone just showed up to get for their loved one. Of course, we can only anticipate so much but please know that I do spend a great deal of time determining how much to overstock at the holidays.
As with any other time of the year we understand that there are folks in our community who do not have the luxury to be extravagant at the holidays. There are folks who do not even have a safe home to live in let alone one filled with laughter and cheer. From the very first holiday season of this little business I was committed to doing something to help make this time of year easier for the women in our community that are displaced from their homes at the holidays because it is not safe for them to be there. Each year I donate 20% of profits for one week to the YWCA holiday market. This market is set up at the women's shelter as a place where women residents can "shop" for their families and themselves for gifts that have been donated.
I will also admit that there is one Dayton Holiday ritual that I have become a huge fan. It has been my honor and privilege to vend at Holly Days since it made it's amazing return to the Arcade Rotunda. I will never forget that first year watching the people stream in on that first day and the looks of amazement on their faces. Folks in their 80's that remembered spending their weekends at the Arcade and who probably thought they would never see the inside of that building again stared in amazement. It literally brought me to tears. So I really do look forward to this lovely event that showcases so much of the creative spirit of Dayton.
This year we are excited to be occupying one of the small storefront spaces in the North Arcade for Holly Days along with an amazing collection of other vendors. Be sure to make your way into the North Arcade as it's been completed and it is just absolutely stunning. We hope you will seek out our little storefront and say hi.
Sooooo you are probably wondering what holiday stuff we have by now huh? I mentioned it was a short list so here goes: cards (boxed and single), garlands, swedish dishcloths, beeswax candles (a new addition this year), washi tape, and one wintery tea towel from June + December. That's it.
The store will remain it's same inviting self. We will all be here to greet you and help you find the perfect gifts and do whatever is in our power to ensure you feel good about what you are spending your hard earned money on. I have been very moved at the intentional gift giving that I have witnessed in my few years running this little shop. You all are very good at finding the perfect helpful beautiful things for your people and I feel so blessed I can be a small part of that experience. None of that is going to change.
If you are out in the world and planning to order from our online shop please know that literally no matter how many times that online order ding rings on our ipad we literally do a happy dance every time. We take great care to create a delightful package for you to open. If you plan to direct ship to someone you love please know that we remove all price tags and we never include a receipt with prices listed. If you would like a personal note added you can always send us an email and let us know what you would like us to write to your lucky recipient.
Please also remember that once that package leaves our shop we have absolutely no control over how or when it arrives to its destination. I guarantee you that if I could control that I would because I want you to get those pretty little things as badly as you want. If you have any questions about our shipping policies you can visit this page: Shipping Policies. Please reach out if you have any other questions at all.
If the holidays are a difficult time for you I am sympathetic and I hope you can find a way to make this time of year one of peace and healing. It really is hard to evade all of the holiday excitement as we are inundated constantly with reminders. You are loved and you are important and you deserve to have a holiday season that works for you. Don't let anyone make you feel obligated to do anything that doesn't serve you.
Thank you for supporting small shops all year around. We appreciate you.