Y’all, we are gettin’ SO close to Christmas. Like, for real Christmas. And I’m gettin’ giddier than Meemaw when she gets another one’a her bear figurines to add to her seemingly never-ending family of cubs.

This is the week where loved ones pull up a little closer, and slow down just enough to notice how special it all is. We’re so excited that we can hardly sit still, but we’re real glad that we get to settle in and catch up together before we gotta go do all our family travelin’ and all that shenanigans.

Anyway, settle on in and grab somethin’ warm, top off your mug with your preferred warm beveragino, and let’s see what’s in store for our get-together today!

Make sure ya tune the radio to this week’s song, it’s a perfect accompaniment to the issue (or so we like to think.)

This week’s Front Porch Partner is Riverside. They ain’t local-local, but they’re good porch company.

And here’s the real gift: even if you don’t sign up, just clickin’ the ad below tosses a dollar and some cents into the ol’ Chattynooga piggy bank and helps keep this porch glowin’. Thanks for takin’ a peek, neighbor.

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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]!

This week’s Community Spotlight shines on The Garden House, a heart-forward local effort organized by Jess Meroney and others in the community that’s been quietly doin’ the good, steady work of feeding bellies and taking care of neighbors across their corner of Chattanooga!

This past Friday, The Garden House hosted a Holiday Potluck Dinner at the Soddy-Daisy Community Center, welcoming neighbors to come together for a good hot meal just days before Christmas. Folks were invited to bring a dish (or simply themselves), and tables filled up with warm meals and shared conversation.

Kids were treated to small gifts, and get THIS: Santa, the big guy himself, made a special stop to spread a little magic ahead of the big day. Talk about a lucky coincidence that we got to see him in Soddy-Daisy of all places!

At its heart, The Garden House exists to make sure everyone has a seat at the table, especially during seasons when needs can feel heavier. If you’d like to support their future community meals, events, and outreach, you can follow them on Facebook, or reach out directly to see how you can get involved.

It truly takes a village to feed the village, and we’re mighty grateful for folks like The Garden House who keep that spirit alive right here at home!

Know someone doin’ something awesome in the community? Let us know by replying with more deets so we can feature them in a future issue!

Remember your first Christmas growin’ up?

I mean the feelin’ of it. When ya got all snug into your Christmas jammies with your family on Christmas Eve, ate all of the holiday sweets followed up by an endless flow of hot chocolate, and then forced to boil in your sugar rush gently tucked into bed with the promise of Santa arriving overnight. Then, randomly openin’ your eyes after your imminent crash to finally realize in your head, “Mother of Jonny Cash, today’s the day,” so you jump outta bed in order to make it everyone else’s problem. Ahh, I remember it like it was yesterday (it was, I was rehearsin’ for later this week.)

That said, I was catchin’ up with all the trendy stuff on TikTok, and came across this particular feller’s vidya talkin’ about first Christmases that really put things into a different perspective: Christmas never really stops givin’ us firsts. They just change shape as we get older.

For example, this is Clementine’s first Christmas with Pickle under the tree, watchin’ the lights like they’re doin’ magic tricks just for him.

Maybe it’s your first Christmas in a new place, a new job, or maybe even a season where you’re still figurin’ things out as you go. And sometimes, it’s your first Christmas missin’ someone who used to be right there with ya, deckin’ the halls in tandem.

Those firsts can feel excitin’, tender, or a little bit strange all at once. But I also think they’re a sign of somethin’ good too, and that life’s still movin’. Love’s still findin’ new places to land, and you’re still showin’ up even when things look different than they used to.

Christmas has a real special way of holdin’ all that together. The old memories, new beginnings, and the joy and aches that come with it all, just sittin’ side by side without rushin’ each other off so it can all be felt and acknowledged.

So if this Christmas feels different for you, that’s quite alright.

You’re not doin’ it wrong, just livin’ through one of this year’s firsts. It’s our first year together as a community, and that is something worth Ho, Ho, Ho’ing about.

I love Christmas. I really, really do. And I love words. I really, really do. So it won’t come as a shock to you that I really, really, really, really, really love Christmas words.

I’m serious, Christmas carols have their own language. You can’t just say these things just any time of year or people will think you’re stuck in the Muppets’ Christmas Carol. No, the festive verbiage of the holidays is something special, and I’m excited to tell you my five favorite phrases you can only get away with uttering this time of year.

Words are so wonderful all the time, and I love these weird little wonders of words that make Christmas a tiny bit more special. My challenge for you this week is to use your words to tell the people in your corner how thankful you are for them! Like this:

“Bubby! Wassail, my dude? Don’t get upsot, I bring happy tidings and figgie pudding! It’s Tannenbaum time!”

However you choose to celebrate (and whatever words you use to do so), I hope you have a very Merry Christmas!

The lights are glowin’, the good words are floatin’ around in the air, and Christmas is nearly here. Whether your days ahead are full of wassailin’, figgie puddin’, new traditions, or quiet moments you didn’t see comin’, we hope you find a little bit of joy tucked into each and every one.

If this season feels familiar, we hope it feels comforting. And if it feels different, we hope it still finds you gently, with room for both the old memories and the brand-new ones you’re makin’ along the way.

However you celebrate. Whatever words you use. Whoever you’re holdin’ close (or carryin’ with you in your heart), know there’s a seat saved for you right here.

From our cozy porch to yours, we wish you a Christmas full of warmth, wonder, and words worth holdin’ onto.

We’ll see you on the other side of Christmas, friends! Don’t be afraid to show off whatcha get from Santa by emailing us at [email protected], we might feature ‘em in next Monday’s issue if you do 👀

— Bubby & Clementine