The one you’ve been waiting for.

Hi there! If you’re reading this, it means you’re on my gratitude list.

I’m so thankful for your support and your interest in my work. YOU are why I keep on keepin’ on as a writer and a small business owner. That’s why I wanted you to be the first to know: I’ve launched a sitewide special at Wild Honey Words, kicking off a celebration of Gratitude Month.

As a way of giving back to my loyal readers and customers, and to welcome in new folks, I’m offering an extended THANKS FOR GIVING SPECIAL. Enjoy $15, $25, $35, or $50 off your order with the promo codes below!

[Update: This promotion has ended; links and codes have been removed.]

Good to Know

Since each Wild Honey Words item is custom made, please be sure to order gifts at least a few weeks ahead to allow time for the creation process and for possible shipping delays.

RECOMMENDED GUIDELINES*

• Hanukkah: Order by NOV. 15

• Christmas: Order by DEC. 1

• Kwanzaa: Order by DEC. 1

_{*Please note, these are estimates, NOT delivery guarantees. For embroidered products, footwear, and water bottles, allow an additional week.} 

My Shopping Procrastination Strategies

(I’ve tried them all so you don’t have to)

1. The Denial/Crisis Roller Coaster

You could say I have an allergy to large stores. I don’t need to be in Macy’s NYC flagship during the holiday rush to feel overwhelmed. Between sensory overload and the overabundance of products, Target on a Tuesday is more than enough for me. I routinely put off errands till I’m in dire need of spinach or hand soap or whatever. When I finally march myself into a store, I get lost in the aisles and buy ALL the things I plan to need so I can delay the next trip as long as possible.

2. The Anti-Plan Pirate Ship

If you’ve never ridden one, an amusement park pirate ship is basically a giant mood swing—a pendulum moving from one extreme to another. In my twenties, that’s how I dealt with clothes shopping. After stalling for months or years, I’d impulsively stop at a random store on my way to the subway. Going in with no wardrobe plan or budget, just the desperation of an extra-tall woman, I’d end up with armloads of semi-appealing, quasi-affordable clothes that sort of fit.

3. The Analysis Paralysis House of Mirrors

In high school and college, I could only find my size in two or three catalogs. When online shopping came on the scene as the catalog’s cool younger sister, I was thrilled. No wading through crowds or struggling to remember where in the ocean of cars mine was. And there was no closing time, which was seductively enabling.

Not to brag, but overthinking it is kinda my specialty. Perfectionism plays a huge part in dragging out decisions, especially when it comes to making long-term purchases (by which I mean anything longer-term than yogurt). As gathering more possibilities and information always seems like a prudent idea, and so much easier than narrowing it down, I’ve logged an absurd number of hours in the Internet research maze.

Two weeks ago, I spent several days/nights deep in reviews of beds, since procrastination method #1 had run its course. Over the last 2-7 years mattress experts would consider borrowed time, the proverbial roller coaster car had clicked its way up the track till I could no longer deny that my 12-year-old spring mattress was sabotaging my sleep.

Once unboxed, like most major commitments, my hybrid mattress expanded significantly, and the frame required assembly and could not be completed alone, and not all the pieces fit together at right angles, as hard as my friend and I tried with our combined brains, brawn, and hex keys. But my new storage bed gives me comfort and joy and holds space for my stuff. Coincidentally, those are the same benefits I’m looking to find (and bring) in a relationship…

Is it perfect? No. Has it improved my wellbeing? For sure. Slowly, I’m shifting my expectations away from the concept of “best” and coming to believe that there can be multiple right good choices, which makes any search ever so slightly less daunting. Is this the one I’ve been waiting for? I’d say yes—because at the end of the day, the only one that matters is the one I cut the tags off (literally or figuratively) and choose to make a part of my life.

In writing this, and through recent conversations, I’ve come to realize that my neurodivergence explains my procrastination patterns. And speaking of contradictions that make sense: as someone who mostly dreaded shopping, I’m not sure how I became a boutique owner, but I do know why. All of my shopping experiences—what I’ve had trouble finding, what lights me up, what doesn’t jive with me, what I think could be more helpful and hospitable—inform how I shape Wild Honey Words. I’m learning every day as I create the kind of shop I love returning to.

Holiday Shopping Ahead?

Choose serenity. (5 stars, highly recommend)

Queen of the eleventh (and thirteenth) hour, the years I’ve forgotten to pace my holiday preparations, not only have I bought painfully priced plane tickets too close to the bathroom, I’ve also bought into the commercialization of the season. Shopping has become a chore, driven by a sense of guilt and striving to prove that I care. Last minute, faced with limited options and/or bandwidth, at times, I’ve spent beyond my means or settled on generic gifts, though I had wanted to express more than, “You are a person, this is a day, here is a thing” (with a nod to comedian Taylor Tomlinson).

On the flip side, when I actually give myself a spacious amount of time to select genuinely inspired gifts, I start to see shopping as a fun, creative scavenger hunt. And when I’m consciously choosing to invest in businesses that align with my values, I feel more connected to myself, to the makers, and to the folks receiving my gifts. The holiday season feels more meaningful, joyful, and relaxed.