Here we are at the very last Monday of 2025, and it feels right to slow our steps just a bit before the calendar flips. This week we’re lookin’ at how Chattanooga’s ringin’ in the New Year, reflectin’ on the word guiding us into 2026, and teasin’ somethin’ special we’ve got comin’ your way tomorrow. Whether you’re celebratin’ big or keepin’ it cozy, we’re mighty glad you stopped by the porch for one last visit this year. Let’s not keep ya waiting any longer!

As always, we’ve added a fresh track to this week’s issue for increased vibes as you read. Click the radio below before ya start reading if you wanna listen as you go!

This week’s Front Porch Partner is EverQuote. They ain’t local-local, but they do help keep this lil’ digital porch hummin’ along and allow us to keep showin’ up here each Monday for y’all.

Here’s the real sweet part: even if you don’t sign up, just clickin’ the ad sends $1.60 straight into the Chattynooga piggy bank. No forms, no fuss, just a quick tap that helps keep the porch lights on and the stories comin’.

Alright EverQuote, take it away!

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Got somethin’ cookin’ that the Scenic City oughta know about? Wanna talk about how cool your weekend was? Tell us all about it! Just reply to this message, or send a separate one to [email protected]!

Honestly, we were this close to makin’ our own New Year’s Eve roundup… but then we saw our pal Shayna Webb (AKA @webbchatts) dropped a list so thorough and downright helpful that we decided the best move was to just scoot on over and share hers instead!

Shayna rounded up 35+ New Year’s Eve happenings and shindigs across Chattanooga, all sorted by vibe and budget. From family-friendly fireworks and early celebrations at Coolidge Park, to under-$100 dance parties like The Yule Ball at Unknown Caller, all the way up to splurge-worthy soirées at The Read House or a rooftop countdown at The Edwin, it’s all in there. Bars, live music, karaoke, neon dance floors, champagne toasts, and even safe ride reminders to so nobody starts 2026 with a bad decision.

If you’re starin’ at your group chat askin’ each other back and forth, “Okay butttttt what are we actually doin’?” this list is your answer.

Head to Shayna’s Instagram post for the full 35+ event breakdown, details, and links. Pick yer vibes, and let the new year meet you right where you are (or where ya wanna be heading!)

I think that New Years resolutions are kinda… bologna, if ya ask me. Mostly ‘cause if I tell myself somethin’ like, “Bubby ya gotta do Zumba with Meemaw at least once a week if you’re gonna lose that baby fat this year,” then I already know I’m settin’ myself up for failure. So instead, I just picked myself a word to sorta align myself towards. That word was intention.

At the time, it felt like a lifeline more than a slogan. I wanted to be more present, show up on purpose, and try things that scared me a little. I also wanted to make sure I wasn’t just rushin’ past moments so I could get to the next one.

And truth be told? Intention did right by me.

It led me to so many conversations that turned into friendships, nudged me into rooms I might’ve talked myself out of before, and helped me notice when I was actually in the moment. Heck, we wouldn’t even be readin’ this newsletter if it wasn’t for me intentionally showing up every week to write the dang thing (even if it releases a little later than usual sometimes).

This past year felt like plantin’ seeds and seein’ what grows from it. Some of ‘em sprouted quicker than I expected, others are still takin’ their sweet time underneath fertile soil, but all of ‘em have sure taught me somethin’ nonetheless.

But now that those roots are in the ground, I don’t feel called to scatter more seeds just yet. I feel called to go deeper.

So with that, my word for 2026 is Depth.

Not depth as in heavy or serious all the time, but depth as in stayin’ with things long enough to understand ‘em. Ask better questions. Listen past the first response. Let conversations wander instead of rushin’ ‘em toward a conclusion.

Depth looks like stronger friendships that aren’t built on convenience alone, talkin’ about the real stuff and laughin’ till your stomach hurts, and buildin’ something slowly with care, instead of stackin’ up moments just to say you did it.

Depth also means tendin’ to this porch a little more intentionally, which is why in 2026 I really wanna make Chattynooga not just a place to find events, but a place to feel more connected with the city even as it grows. A place where stories linger, neighbors recognize one another for their accomplishments no matter how small, and the city feels a little smaller in the best way.

I don’t need more noise or more half-finished plans. What I’m lookin’ forward to is deeper conversations, stronger relationships, and a steadier hand on the things that already matter most.

If you’re headin’ into this new year with a word of your own, I hope it’s one that invites you inward instead of rushin’ you forward. And if you ain’t picked one at all, that’s alright too. Sometimes depth starts with simply stayin’ put long enough to notice what’s already growin’.

To get a head start on building depth, what’s a question ya might have about Chattynooga that you’re curious about? It could be about Clementine or yours truly, what Meemaw’s favorite kinda pasta shape is (Rigatoni), or somethin’ out of the blue that’s on yer mind! Reply to this issue and we’ll be happy to answer!

Here’s to diggin’ in a little deeper together.

Well folks, here we are. The last Monday of 2025. I gotta say, it’s been a pretty darn fantastic year, if you ask me. Bubby and I started this little newsletter on a whim, but man are we glad we did. Chattynooga has made 2025 the best year in so many ways, and we’re glad you were along for the ride with us!

We’re taking a look back at 2025 with Chattynooga this week. Keep an eye out on our Instagram for Chattynooga Wrapped, coming soon!

Thanks for being here with us, Chattanooga. We love you, and we can’t wait to see what 2026 brings us! 🎉

As 2025 slips on out the back door, we hope you’re proud of the ground you covered and the seeds you planted along the way. Here’s to goin’ a little deeper in the year ahead: in our conversations, our connections, and the way we show up for one another.

Thanks for spendin’ your Mondays throughout 2025 with us as we built this cozy community, neighbor. We’ll see ya right back here in 2026, porch light on and chair pulled up.

— Bubby & Clementine