Every year as the holidays approach, I’m reminded of just how quickly the season moves. Is that an age thing? We rush from meeting to meeting, scroll through endless online deals, juggle calendars packed with events, and try our best to make it all look effortless. And somewhere in the middle of that flurry, we forget to pause and look at what truly makes this season special.
It’s not the sales. It’s not the shopping.
It’s us.
It’s this community we are so fortunate to call Kalispell.
The holidays bring out our best intentions. We want to show up. We want to give. We want to feel connected. Yet every year the noise gets louder. National headlines feel more divisive. The pressure to consume grows. The holidays become a “must do” instead of celebration.
This year, I’m inviting all of us to return to something simpler.
Let’s make this season about community again.
Let’s remember that everything we need is right here in Kalispell.
“Black Friday”, and “Small Business Saturday” began to help retailers end the year in the black. Today it often looks like a brutal shopping marathon. But when I think about “being in the black,” I think about our local shop owners — the ones who work year-round to keep their doors open, who create jobs, who sponsor our little league teams, who greet you by name before you reach the counter. Supporting them isn’t about a single day and its why we promote Small Business Season. It’s about ensuring the people who make our valley vibrant continue to thrive.
And as we move into the season of giving, intention matters. The Flathead is home to extraordinary nonprofits that strengthen our entire valley. They support families, care for kids, build skills, protect our outdoors, serve our seniors, and provide hope. They depend on us. If you can give financially, it makes a difference. If you cannot, your time and voice matter just as much. Volunteer for a few hours. Share a post. Attend an event. Tell someone their work matters. Generosity has many forms.
What if this year we measured the holidays not by what we bought, but by how much we connected? What if every positive review, every online order from a local business, every recommendation of a favorite shop or restaurant was seen as an act of community building? What if we slowed down long enough to thank the people working long hours so the rest of us can enjoy the season?
Kalispell is a place where people show up for one another.
A place where we quiet the noise, work to limit divisiveness, and choose gratitude.
A place where supporting local isn’t a slogan — it’s in our DNA.
Take this season to remember who we are: Connected. Grateful. Generous. Proud of our local businesses, proud of our nonprofits, and proud of the community we continue to build together.
Let’s shop local, support local, give local, and smile at our neighbors who make the Flathead Valley home. Let’s make this a season that feels like us.
When we lift one another up, we all end the year in the black — and full of the spirit that makes Kalispell extraordinary.
Lorraine Clarno is the president and CEO of the Kalispell Chamber of Commerce.