Mikołajki, Poland's St Nicholas Day celebration on 6 December, feels like a little preview of Christmas. A first spark of December before the festive lights are fully switched on.
We know how to celebrate small things. This day is not a competition for the most expensive present. It is a gesture, a smile or a childhood memory: a mandarin, a note or a chocolate under the pillow. Something small becomes meaningful because it shows that someone remembered us.
Life can be demanding. Moments like these help December begin with a smile. A gift left on a colleague's desk, slipped into a coat pocket or tucked into a sock can be enough. It is the thought that matters.
At school, names are drawn for gift exchanges. At work, there is a small Secret Santa. At home, surprises appear beneath pillows. There is no fixed script. The tradition lives in the gestures people make for one another.
Perhaps that is its greatest charm: a reminder that everyday life still has room for joy, imagination and small signs of care, even on a cloudy winter morning.
May your gift bring someone their first smile of the day, or become a memory they enjoy returning to.
What will you hide under the pillow this year? Explore our Christmas collection for a little inspiration.