we are smack in the middle of december, which means you are currently doing one of three things:

a) fully checked out and living your cozy girl era (jealous, honestly)

b) stress-buying gifts at 11pm while doomscrolling

c) pretending the holidays aren't happening until the 23rd

no judgment!!! i've been all three this week lol

but scary new is we're only halfway through the month. which means there's still time to course correct before january hits and you're staring at your bank account like 👁️👄👁️

look, i know the vibe right now is ~survival mode~ but future-you (the one waking up in 2026) reeeeally needs us to lock in for like, twenty minutes today.

in today's mid-december programming:

💸 the holiday spending audit (fixing the damage before it’s permanent)

📱 how to make holiday content that isn't cringe

🎁 a quick gift math reality check

⛪️ advent updates (if you haven't subscribed to the faith newsletter yet, we're deep into advent and it's been so good)

let's check in ↓

here’s a question most people won’t ask themselves until january 2nd: how much have you actually spent in December? not how much you think you've spent. not how much you planned to spend… the real number.

i'll wait while you check your bank app 👀

okaaaay… how we feeling? a lil nauseous? pleasantly surprised?

here's the quick audit to do before the final holiday push 💰

step 1: the scary addition open your bank app. filter your transactions out from december 1-today. add up:

step 2: reality check it did you set a holiday budget? (no shame if not — most people don't)

step 3: the “stop the bleeding” plan list out what you still need to buy. be brutally honest. then ask yourself:
→ can i DIY anything on this list?
→ is there anyone i can do a "let's skip gifts this year" convo with?
→ what's one thing i can cut without anyone noticing?

this isn't about deprivation. it's about intention. spending $500 on gifts can feel amazing if it's planned. it feels terrible if you're discovering it in january via a credit card statement.

you still have two weeks 💌 audit now, adjust accordingly, and enter 2026 without the financial hangover.

december content usually falls into two camps: so festive it feels like a hallmark ad wrote it, OR completely ignoring the holidays which feels... weird?

there is a middle ground!!!! and it converts way better because it actually feels like a human made it.

what makes holiday content cringe:
🎅 forced festivity ("omg aren’t u just SO obsessed with christmas!!!")
🎁 generic "gift guide" energy with zero personality
🎄 trying to make everything holiday-themed when it doesn't fit your niche

what actually works:

1. the honest take "hot take: i actually don't love the holidays. here’s how i'm navigating it." this performs because it's REAL.

2. the "holiday edition" of your usual content don't reinvent your whole strategy. just add a seasonal lens to what you already do.

3. the anti-content content "i'm taking a break and here's why" or "posting less this month, here's what i'm doing instead." this builds authority + shows you prioritize your peace. your audience is probably checked out too. meet them there.

4. the low-lift wins repurpose your top-performing content from the year. do a carousel recap of your best posts. channel that "in case you missed it" energy. your new followers haven't seen your old stuff anyway!

the goal isn't to go viral in december. it's to stay connected without burning out. it’s ok to post a lil less this month. but when you do, make it count. then take that nap 💤

trend: the "things i'd want for christmas if i didn't already have them" format is SO good for creators, especially in this economy. it's recommendation meets personality showcase. perfect for gift guide season without being salesy.

quote: "you can't pour from an empty cup, and you also can't fill your cup if you're buying everyone else their cups” ,,, okay i might have just made that up but it feels true this month😭

tool: i've been using google calendar's "time insights" feature to see where my time actually went this year vs where i thought it went. spoiler, my focus time blocks are ~eating my life~ but in the most productive of ways. highly recommend this reality check before you plan out your sched for 2026.

totally random: my spotify wrapped confirmed kendrick is my top artist and i fear i have never been more valid. if you need me, i’ll be replaying gnx instead of looking at my bank account

pick one (just one, u overachievers)

💸 do the spending audit above (takes 15 mins, max)

📱 post ONE piece of honest holiday content this week

☕ take yourself on a solo coffee date. you've earned it.

because the goal isn't to survive december. it's to actually enjoy it 🎄

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now back to our regularly scheduled programming...

before you add one more thing to cart:

the best gifts aren't things. they're feeling seen.

okay stepping off my soapbox now lol

thanks for reading 💌

until next friday,

xo, callie 🤍

p.s. if you did the spending audit and it wasn't as bad as you thought, reply "survived" and let me celebrate with you.

p.p.s. if it WAS as bad as you thought... reply anyway. no judgment. just solidarity. 🫠