Burn, Baby, Burn

This is the time of year that strikes both exhilaration and trepidation into the heart of every retailer. It's the beginning of the holiday season. If you've been out shopping lately, you've noticed this! The time is drawing nigh when, along with my fellow shop owners everywhere, I will begin burning the candle at both ends. Lord, let it be a scent I like.

I woke up spontaneously at 5:42 AM today, with one thought running through my head: oh my gosh, we have so much to do to get ready for the holiday party! Now just three weeks away, I have yet to mail the invitations, finalize my schedule of hostesses, firm up my menu (plus buy ingredients, prep recipes, and schedule baking days), conceptualize window displays and new holiday displays and how to zhuzh all the everyday displays in order to accomodate new seasonal merch and new everyday merch, plus figure out what the heck I'm going to wear! On top of this, we are still running the store, checking in new arrivals on a daily basis, etc., etc. The last week of October, we'll be closed for four days before the party (well, three actual shopping days and one Sunday, on which we're always closed) so that we can transform the shop into a holly bough-bedecked, glitter glass-encrusted, mercury glass ornament-adorned, twinkly light-spangled, hot chocolate and Joie de Noel-scented confection of wintertime merriment. Sounds like fun, doesn't it? It should be and it will be, my goodness. It's only the prospect of FOUR EIGHTEEN HOUR DAYS IN A ROW that makes me shudder. Thank goodness at the end of it all I can don my gay apparel, tip back a glass of something bubbly, and laugh and visit with friends and customers. Now, that is what the holidays are for!

Planning store events such as this upcoming one are not unlike planning a wedding. Minus the solemnity, of course. There are no "'til death do I's" around here. But the guest list is huge, the details are critical, and you're hoping to create memories for people that will make them smile every time they reflect upon it. [sigh]

So, beloved local customers, watch your mailboxes next week for a personal invitation to The Blissful Unveiling & A French-Inspired Noël. We hope you'll come and have a good time. And do bring friends! The more, the merrier.

Oh, and our holiday VOTIVOs have arrived! We may not get them out onto the sales floor until the big weekend, but if you're desperate for some Christmas Sage or (my favorite) Gingersnap, hie thee to The Blissful and we'll happily let you sneak one.