Producer Rachel

30/12/2025

Thank you to everyone who sent photos and videos of their families reading the book and wishing with the coin on Christmas Eve!

It has taken me a couple of days to even process everything. I was overwhelmed by your support and needed time to reflect.

As a creator with ADHD, I have grand visions of things I want to create all of the time. Most go in the parking lot of ideas, hoping for a shot at coming to fruition. But this one gestated for a few years and was finally born into existence.

Thank you all for believing in the magic, but, most of all, believing in me. There were so many obstacles and honestly, so many tears, but I persevered, used the obstacles as stepping stones, and continued on, one task at a time.

Now on the other side of the launch, I am proud of myself and have deep gratitude for the support that carried me forward.

Did I want to give up? Yes. So many times. Was I scared? Yes. Every day. Did I cry? Yes. A lot. Did I lose sight of the vision and quality that I wanted for this project. No. Never.

Being a visionary can sometimes feel like a burden when everyone else is trying to convince you to take the easy route but you see what something could be, long before others see why it matters.

I have learned so much through this process. I am even grateful for the lessons learned from my mistakes.

I took the books and coins everywhere I went, even selling them out of my car at holiday fairs I couldn't afford to be a vendor at. I drove around every day to meet people who were local so they could save on the shipping fee. It was important to me to get the project into as many hands as possible.

The book and coin is an experience, a moment shared during the busiest, most stressful time of the year. It's not the easiest to explain to passersby at a holiday fair, there is no easy sellable elevator pitch, there is just the magical moment. Thank you to everyone who took the time to let me explain the story and even wish together with the coin. I know time is precious and it is not lost on me that you created a space for me to share my dream with you.

Thank you to everyone who placed an order for your own family, or to give as a gift to another family, or to just to support the project, or donated a book and coin to a child facing homelessness. I know times are tough and your dollars could be spent in so many different ways, it is not lost on me that you believed in me, YOU SAW ME, and wanted to help me see this through to the finish line. I could not have done ANY of this without you.

Thank you to those who shared the posts, told others about it, suggested it, promoted it, made videos, shared photos. I tried to screenshot and save everything that came across my feed, my DMs, my texts. Just WOW! Having this project spoken about in rooms I am not even in, to people I may never meet, is so incredibly important, and you truly helped me to keep going.

Thank you to my husband for being my biggest supporter. You held me, wiped my tears, and got me to the next step every time. When I was overwhelmed with the orders coming in, you immediately took over and became our QA and shipping department. EVERY book and coin went through our hands and the fact that it then made its way to others is WILD!

Thank you to my kids, my inspiration who also watched all of this unfold. They may not have understood the vision 7 years ago when I started to write the story, but I loved showing them the process, all of the iterations, the behind-the-scenes of our little publishing company created out of necessity. They were also my little elves, helping to bag and box product when needed. It is so crazy seeing the photos in the book that were taken when they were 6 and 7 and looking at them now at 13 and 14 when the first book order came in. How time flies.

Thank you to JoJo Dries for taking me on as a PR client and helping me amplify the message on a bigger scale.

Thank you to Kelly Palmisano for helping me execute the vision so perfectly and to Santa Doug for truly being the magic of Christmas for so many. I hope I made you both proud!

Here's to 2026 and beyond!

24/12/2025

I've been seeing a lot of posts about this, maybe it's just my algorithm, or maybe more moms are talking about it so I wrote a blog post with my thoughts.

THE UNDERTOW OF CHRISTMAS
There is a version of Christmas we are shown, and then there is the version many women are living in daily.

The visible Christmas is warm and cinematic. Twinkle lights. Coordinated pajamas. Tables that look effortless but never are. Children glowing with anticipation. Traditions that appear to arrive fully formed, as if by magic.

The invisible Christmas is carried.

It lives in lists that never stop running. In mental tabs left open for weeks. In emotional labor that begins long before December and doesn’t fully resolve until well into January. It lives in women who are the infrastructure of the holiday; the planners, the rememberers, the smoothers, the fixers, often holding everything together by a thread that no one can see.

I want to talk about that undertow.

The part of Christmas that pulls quietly beneath the surface.

CLICK FOR MORE...

Because for many moms, the moments leading up to the big day aren’t joyful. They come with an unseen pressure that many women absorb without realizing how much it is costing them, as they quietly manage everything behind the scenes.

18/12/2025

What happens when you stop waiting to feel ready? I explained this to Laura Tomlinson in our recent interview on her podcast

Publishing my first book taught me more than how to bring a project to market. Because it’s a seasonal book, the timeline was definitive. Decisions had to be made before everything felt settled, refined, or certain. That constraint turned out to be the education.

There were obstacles, but none of them were immovable. They required adjustment, not abandonment. Each challenge clarified what worked, what didn’t, and what I would carry forward into future books. In that sense, the first book wasn’t the goal. It was the foundation.

Committing fully changed everything. Once I purchased the ISBNs and planned beyond a single title, the internal debate ended. There was no longer an option to hover at the edge of “almost.” The work moved from possibility to practice.

That shift matters. When you allow yourself to be the thing you’ve been circling, you stop asking for permission and start building with intention. I’m no longer considering whether I’m an author. I’m a self-published author developing a body of work, informed by experience rather than hesitation.

Readiness didn’t arrive first. Clarity followed commitment.

17/12/2025

How does the soil of 2026 feel different?

This question came from a journal prompt during Jessica Cerato’s 2026 Energy Forecast - she is a professional numerologist and energy strategist. Book a private session with her if you are ready to finally step into your power (JessicaCerato.com)

For a long time, I was preoccupied with where I fit in. I measured myself against lanes that already existed, roles that were already defined, and versions of myself that seemed more acceptable than the truth. Much of my energy went toward positioning rather than creating, living in fear rather than faith.

I’m not trying to find my lane anymore. I’m building my own ecosystem, one where books, consulting, storytelling, and video aren’t separate efforts competing for attention, but interconnected expressions of the same work. Each piece supports the others. Nothing is accidental. Nothing exists just to keep up.

The soil of 2026 feels different because it belongs to me. I’m no longer operating within conditions set by someone else’s timeline or approval, or waiting to be chosen in order to move forward. What I’m building now is intentional by design rather than reactive by habit, shaped by choice, not urgency, and rooted in work I’ve decided is worth tending.

This soil isn’t borrowed, rushed, or waiting for permission to be fertile. It’s land I’m actively cultivating, knowing that what grows here does so because I planted it, stayed with it, and trusted the process long enough to let it take form.

This time, the projects grow because I planted them, not because I’m harvesting seeds someone else scattered and hoping they turn into something sustainable.

There’s patience here.
There’s trust here.
There’s room to let things mature instead of forcing outcomes.

And for the first time, I’m not wondering if I belong in the field because I own the land.

16/12/2025

Standing here in Times Square, I’m still surprised by how far a simple idea can take you.

I stood there today, taking it all in. The lights. The noise. The energy. But letting myself pause for a moment. Just feeling it.

The version of me who wrote the story.
The version of me who doubted everything.
The version of me who kept going anyway.

And in that quiet pause, I felt the weight of every choice, every late night, every small nudge I trusted long before I had proof.

It’s a quiet kind of magic. The kind that shows up when you finally realize that what you created mattered. That your heart, your persistence, your belief. They mattered.

For the kids who will hold these moments close.
For the families who will pause, read, and remember together.
For the small stories that grow into something bigger than you imagined.

Sometimes all it takes is a moment to notice it. To feel it. To let it sink in.

Bring this magic into your home this Christmas:
www.SantasSecretWishingCoin.com or visit the link in bio.

16/12/2025

One more day to enter!

GIVEAWAY CLOSED 💜 Congrats to the winner!

✨ GIVEAWAY ✨ It's time for our third giveaway from our Detroit Mom-Approved Holiday Gift Guide! Today, enter to win a Deluxe Set of your family’s new favorite tradition: “Santa’s Secret Wishing Coin” from local mom + author Rachel Giordano! 🎅 The perfect way to add a little extra magic to your holiday season.

The Deluxe Set of “Santa’s Secret Wishing Coin” includes a beautifully illustrated hardcover book paired with a keepsake minted coin designed to create a new Christmas Eve tradition for families. 🎄 This special edition comes in a premium magnetic gift box, and is ready to wrap or display! It’s ideal for parents, grandparents, + holiday storytellers, and is the perfect parting gift from the Elf on the Shelf. 😉 Since only kids on the Nice List receive the coin, it adds a little magic and a tradition families look forward to every year. It's the gift that keeps on giving, and we love that so much! 🤗

Entering is simple: ⤵️
✨ TAG A FRIEND (sharing is caring! The more friends you tag, the more entries you get!)
✨ MAKE SURE YOU’RE FOLLOWING Detroit Mom + Producer Rachel
✨ TELL US IN THE COMMENTS: What is your family’s favorite holiday tradition?! 👀

And, don’t forget to check out Santa’s Secret Wishing Coin online at www.santassecretwishingcoin.com! 🎁

**Giveaway closes on 12/16/25 at 11:59 p.m. Winner will be notified on 12/17/25 via FB Message from Detroit Mom. Winner has 24 hours to respond to claim their prize, or a new winner will be picked.**

GOOD LUCK! 😘

15/12/2025

Just let me know when the official date is that everything becomes 2026’s problem, I’m ready to be done.

15/12/2025

Today’s the day.

Our final shipment goes out, and if you want Santa’s Secret Wishing Coin to be part of your Christmas Eve.
This is the last window to make it happen.

I’ve packed so many of these sets knowing exactly where they’re headed.

Into living rooms filled with kids in pajamas,
Into quiet moments right before bedtime,
Into families who want to slow down just long enough to make a memory.

Here’s what you’ll receive when you order today:
• Hardcover Santa’s Secret Wishing Coin storybook
• Custom-minted commemorative coin
• Protective coin pouch
• (If Deluxe) Magnetic keepsake box

A simple story.
A meaningful pause.
A tiny bit of Christmas magic families hold onto

If this tradition is going to happen in your house this year, today is the day to order.

Visit www.SantasSecretWishingCoin.com or tap the link in bio.

14/12/2025

It always sneaks up faster than we think,
but we’re officially here:

The Christmas shipping window is closing.

If you’ve been meaning to order.
If this is the year you want to start something meaningful.
If you want the book and coin under the tree in time.
Today is the day to do it.

Here’s what comes in your set:
• Hardcover Santa’s Secret Wishing Coin storybook
• Custom-minted commemorative coin
• Protective coin pouch
• (Deluxe only: magnetic-closure keepsake box)

A story to read.
A coin to hold.
A moment your kids will remember.
All shipped in time for Christmas Eve,
but only if you order now.

Order today at: www.SantasSecretWishingCoin.com or visit the link in my bio.

13/12/2025

We’re officially down to the final week of orders.

The Santa’s Secret Wishing Coin isn’t just a coin.
It’s the story you read together.
The pause in the middle of the holiday chaos.
The memory your kids will hold onto for years.

Here’s what comes in your set:
• 1 × Hardcover storybook
• 1 × Custom-minted wishing coin
• 1 × Coin pouch

If you want this tradition under your tree this year,
this is the week to make it happen.

Last shipment leaves 12/15.
Just in time for Christmas Eve.

Bring the magic home: www.SantasSecretWishingCoin.com or go to link in bio.

13/12/2025

The moment I left radio, I knew exactly what I wanted to build first.

Not because I had it all figured out but because I finally took the leap and gave myself permission to figure it out.
I had spent years helping everyone else tell their stories.
It was time to take a chance on myself and create the space to tell my own.

What does it actually mean to self-publish a book?
What does it mean to invest in yourself?
What does it mean to market something you believe in?

I didn’t wait for permission.
I didn’t wait for a perfect plan.

I started plotting.
Learning.
Making decisions one step at a time.

That’s how it began.

Not with certainty, but with intention. For more of this episode, you can find on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.