Last(ish) call for guaranteed(ish) holiday cheer! 🎁

NOT REALLY, BUT ALSO SORT OF?

Happy National Cupcake Day! Here's a fun little fact I discovered while researching content for today's email: Even though they've been kicking around in some form since the late 1700s, it wasn't until the 1950s when Winston Churchill of all people first suggested cupcakes be frosted! Who knew that gruff old curmudgeon was such a softy for sweets?

While we're at it, happy National Lemon Cupcake Day! Apparently these dainty cakes fancy a bit of double-dipping on December 15th. Despite lemon being a flavor commonly associated with summertime, winter is prime citrus season when lemons are at peak deliciousness, so we'll allow it.

Finally, happy National Regifting Day! If you were on the receiving end of a less-than-desirable tribute courtesy of a recent white elephant gift exchange, consider regifting it to someone who may appreciate it more so you can make room for something you REALLY want (like, say, some Boredwalk merch *hint hint*).

I encourage you to act with haste, though — because of how the calendar shook out this year, the 25th is one week from Monday, so you're cutting it close! We can ship out our Delve Decks, Grievance Journals, and activity books "lickety-split" as the young kids say,* but printing the towels, tees, bags, and hoodies takes longer since those aren't just sitting on a shelf waiting to packed up. We print all those to order about 50 feet from where I'm typing! Bear this in mind while you're loading up your virtual Santa sack this morning and over the weekend!

* Don't dispute my knowledge of youth slang — I know what's hip! By the way, would you care for a butterscotch? It's warm from being in my cardigan pocket all day!

And don't forget to use code SAVE15 at checkout for 15% off orders of $95+, not to mention free U.S. shipping on orders of $75+ — no code needed!

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In a bittersweet episode, I bid farewell to Josh Patton from Boredwalk's content team. Apparently making funny videos wearing cool shirts is not as compelling as Josh's plan to become a super-powered grasshopper who farms cannabis and moonlights as the President of the United States. Dream big if you're going to dream at all!

We then discuss the cognitive dissonance of people who get upset that creators usually have jobs making content for multiple brands in order to make ends meet, internet trolls who don't understand how satire & parody work, and read a nice review from Cindy W. about how much she loves her Grievance Journal!

We then react to fan responses to the recent Question of the Day "What job doesn't exist now, but will probably exist in the future?" Answers ranged from 'viable 3rd party candidates' to 'emotional support humans for AI chatbots' to the aforementioned super-powered insectoid cannabis farmers.

We wrap things up by trading questions from our newly released Delve Deck expansions!

From the Venting Edition, "What are you too hard on yourself about?" and from the Joy Edition, "What's the luckiest thing that ever happened to you?" Have a listen to find out our answers!

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Alright! Let's send you off into the weekend with some notable events and famous birthdays from December 15ths of yore! If that includes yours, happy birthday to you! Celebrate with a cupcake!

• In 1791 the United States Bill of Rights — the collective nickname for the first 10 amendments to the U.S. Constitution — became law when it was ratified by the Virginia General Assembly

• In 1973 the American Psychiatric Association voted unanimously (13-0) to remove homosexuality from its official list of psychiatric disorders, which is definitely worth celebrating — perhaps also with cupcakes!

• Birthday cupcakes all around for: Roman emperor & fiddle enthusiast Nero (37), French architect & engineer Gustave Eiffel of Parisian tower fame (1832), author & playwright Betty Smith of A Tree Grows in Brooklyn fame (1896), radio host, DJ, and rock 'n' roll evangelist Alan Freed (1921), English drummer & songwriter Dave Clark of The Dave Clark Five (1939), English singer-songwriter & bassist Paul Simonon of The Clash (1955), actress Helen Slater of The Secret of My Success, The Legend of Billie Jean, and Supergirl fame (1963), actor Adam Brody of The O.C. fame (1979), and English actor Charlie Cox of Daredevil fame (1982)

• Pour one out for: Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer (d. 1675), English chemist Alfred Bird of inventing baking powder fame (d. 1878; thanks for the cupcake, Al!), Hunkpapa Lakota tribal chief Sitting Bull (d. 1890), singer-songwriter & pianist Fats Waller (d. 1943), bandleader, composer, and trombonist Glenn Miller (d. 1944), animator Walt Disney (d. 1966), and English-American essayist & critic Christopher Hitchens (d. 2011)

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OK, that's it for this week! We'll be back here in your inbox on Monday with another email and a fresh customer Q&A! If you'd like to be featured in an upcoming email reply to this and let us know!

Peace, love, and cupcakes,

Matt