Humbled...once again.

"Customers" isn't the right term. I also don't care for "clients". "Community" is more like it but that starts to sounds cultish. I'm struggling with what to call you guys because you've become more than "customers". Some of you anyway, the rest need to earn it...kidding.

When people ask me what I do, my response is generally vague and silly sounding. "I have a website and I make stuff and sell it, etc. It's easier to show you the website." And I rarely show them because they rarely care after that. I'm going on about this because I'm so humbled by a good portion of you that I felt compelled to write about it. The Mystery Christmas tops were essentially a fail this year. I'll spare the detail but I was only able to get half done in time for Christmas so I reached out to the folks that ordered and asked for volunteers. I wanted to make sure that the people that ordered them for gifts got them in time and hoped that I had enough to cover it. The response was overwhelming, humbling and touching. Almost everyone told me not to worry about it and to enjoy time with family and those that did say they needed them by Christmas actually felt guilty!! Wow. It never crossed my mind that I would make you feel guilty by asking if you needed the item you purchased from me! And then I felt guilty for making them feel guilty :)

So now you see my dilemma, a "customer" wouldn't do that. Friends, family, community, they would do that, but not a customer. Or, maybe that's how it used to be when the world was smaller and everyone knew and respected one another. We supported our businesses in every way possible because they were part of the community. I didn't think something like this was possible online but it obviously is and gives me hope.

My family, and myself thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

Merry Christmas!

Anthony