The holidays can be full of joy, but they can also bring exhaustion, pressure, and reflection. In this episode, Han and Joyce talk about the end-of-year push of markets, the realities of running small businesses through winter, and the emotional weight that shows up during the holidays.

They reflect on capitalism, convenience, and waste, the tension of being anti-capitalist while running a retail shop, and how immigrant family traditions shape the way we think about money and gift-giving. The conversation moves through childhood Christmas memories, grief and loss, and the shift that happens when you begin creating holidays for your own kids.

This episode is about slowing down, letting go of survival mode, and finding meaning in the midst of a heavy season.

00:00 Holiday Catch-Up & End-of-Year Exhaustion

02:10 Markets, Community, and Showing Up for Friends

05:45 Winter Slowdowns & the Restaurant Economy

09:20 Dentist Visits, Healthcare, and Vulnerability

15:40 Capitalism, Convenience, and Waste

19:10 Immigrant Parents, Scarcity, and Survival Mindsets

22:50 Christmas Growing Up: Belief, Loss, and Illusions

28:30 Grief, Nostalgia, and Redefining the Holidays

33:40 Parenting, Traditions, and Intentional Gift-Giving

38:45 Anti-Capitalism While Running a Retail Business

44:30 Looking Ahead to the Year of the Horse

52:30 Gratitude, Community, and Closing Reflections