| THE EPISTOLARIAN |

Today is a peaceful day tucked between festivities. The world outside is already glittering with lights, but inside my studio everything is still. Tomorrow begins my annual tradition of the twelve days of Christmas, when I gather the little gifts I will send to you over the next twelve days. This quiet moment always reminds me of an older ritual, the way people once polished silver before guests arrived. You take out what is beloved, what has waited in its velvet drawer all year, and you give it a final shine before its beauty is gifted.

Behind the scenes I have been doing my own version of that. Creating small wax bundles. Designing very limited edition seals. Rearranging ribbons and tissue in my new studio so I'm ready. None of it is hurried. It feels like preparing a table for friends, one polished spoon at a time. This season can rush us, but seals and letter writing have their own rhythm, which calls us back to slower times. I want the days ahead to feel like an unfolding rather than a sprint, more like the small delights of an advent calendar.

Before everything begins tomorrow, a small reminder that the yo-leven discount ends today. If there are particular seals or pennies you have been waiting for, this is the moment. I rarely offer discounts on my work, and there will not be another this year. You can use the code Neenie11 for 11 percent off your order.

For now, I am grateful for this quiet pause with you, a moment to feel stillness. Tomorrow I will reveal the first of the twelve gifts I have prepared, and I hope each one brings you a bit of the joy I have felt while making them over the past 3 months. Until then, may you enjoy this quiet, sacred space between festivities. 

In case you missed last week's letter: Gratitude

1. Choose someone you want to thank. Make a short list of moments, qualities, or gestures that you appreciate.
2. Write your letter. Be specific. Let your language carry warmth. You might even invite the person to share something they’re grateful for or looking forward to.
3. Seal it, if possible. Choose a wax seal that symbolizes something you feel grateful for. Let the final gesture be intentional, slow, and satisfying.

Even one letter can shift how you feel. And more often than not, it becomes a gift that someone will never forget.

The Newest Penny - Champagne Dove

Heads: Ad Vitas Effusas
A champagne bottle bursts open, cork flying, a small celebration captured in brass. It is a reminder not to live bottled up. Pour yourself freely. Rise. Shimmer. Let your joy spill over. Ad vitas effusas means “toward poured out lives,” a call to stop shrinking and to welcome more beauty, more delight, and more magic into your days.

Tails: J’Apporte La Paix
A peace dove arrives with an olive branch, offering calm in the middle of celebration. It reminds you to return to yourself, to breathe, to soften. J’Apporte La Paix means “I bring peace.” The dove has carried this message for centuries. Light returns. Hope arrives. Peace is possible.

Color of the Week: Champagne

This pearlized wax reminds me of my favorite bubbly drink and is a favorite wax for the holidays. It's bright and celebratory, but more understated than gold.

With gratitude,

Kathryn