There’s a quieter kind of care that shows up during the holidays. It isn’t loud or polished, and it doesn’t need attention to be meaningful. It’s the care found in planning a meal others will enjoy, setting a table just because it feels right, or choosing an outfit with the people you’ll be with in mind.

Not to impress - but to connect.

As the season gets closer, many of us find ourselves preparing in small, thoughtful ways. Not perfectly. Just intentionally. And getting dressed - comfortably, thoughtfully, honestly - has a way of being part of that preparation.

It doesn’t mean formal dinners or special occasions. It means showing up in a way that helps you feel present and at ease. Ready for conversation. Ready to sit longer than planned. Ready to take part in the moment as it unfolds.

Over time, I’ve seen how preparation shifts through different stages of life. In earlier years, it’s about making sure everyone has what they need. Later, it becomes about holding onto traditions while allowing room for change. Eventually, it’s about recognizing that how we prepare - how we dress, host, and gather - is one of the quiet ways we say you matter to me.

Clothing has always been part of how people signal care. Not in a performative way, but in a human one. It says, “I thought about this.” It says, “This moment matters.”

This reflection became my December article for Southern Minnesota Scene, where I explore how preparation - especially during the holidays - can be an act of connection rather than pressure.

If you’d like to read the full piece, you can find it here:
→ Read the December Scene article

With Christmas just around the corner, my wish for you and yours is simple: moments that feel steady, kind, and genuinely your own. However you gather - or don’t - may this season hold comfort, connection, and ease.