That was the headline on a piece in the Think With Google newsletter I received a couple weeks ago. Last I checked there were only four quarters to a whole year, so I read on to figure out what they meant.

What the author is referring to as “Q5” are the couple of weeks after December 25. According to the piece, 87% of shopping occasions happening during this “Q5” period end in a purchase. That’s a crazy number! I asked ChatGPT what the average conversion rate is and I’m sure the 1-3% rate it gave me is “slop” (one of Merriam-Webster’s new words of the year, by the way). Regardless, 87% is a number that may change your game plan as you head into what we typically regard as downtime.

Some other information I found interesting from the Think With Google piece includes: 

• Q5 shoppers spend more on more items across more categories than at any other time during the holidays.
• Q5 shoppers are using more resources and taking more actions than at any other point in the season, making it the seasonal peak for omnichannel behavior. They say half of consumers are navigating between at least 10 different online and offline touchpoints in any given 48-hour window.
• It’s not all about self-gifting, even after the holidays: 74% of post-holiday shopping occasions are for someone else, while 60% of shoppers say they’ll browse for things they are interested in.
• Google and YouTube usage peaks. Well, this is a “Think With Google” piece so they’ll toot their own horn. They say a 2024 Traackr survey in the U.S. ranked YouTube the No. 1 choice for product reviews and product information by all consumers, including Millennials and Gen Zs. After December 25, 84% of holiday shoppers are using Google or YouTube to shop.

Are you prepared for the Q5 sales season? This Think With Google piece gives you some action plans around each of the above points.

I am obsessed with self-improvement. Whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing, I know that January 1 isn’t the starting date for whatever it is you are hoping to improve or change. The planning and initial work start now. (I already have my 2026 planner and goals all set!)

These are not my resolutions. 

A piece in a recent SmartBrief explained how executive coach Joel Garfinkle helps leaders use the final weeks of December to their strategic advantage. It boils down to three decisions:

• What worked? Instead of asking “What did I accomplish?” ask yourself, “What created real results?” You’re looking for patterns in your work that you can take advantage of in the future.
• How will you use the “quiet week?” First, as mentioned above, the next weeks are not that quiet, thanks to Q5. But let’s say the next few weeks are slower than usual in some way. Take that time to build out a system that will work for you for the entire year. Design your ideal weekly template. Set up ways to track what you value as trackable. Start to work on a few of the “I’m dreading this” conversations or projects.
• What will you stop doing? In addition to the “Run a 5k!” type resolutions, develop a “not doing this” list. What can you take off your calendar? What doesn’t serve you anymore? What isn’t of value? Stop doing these things in order to free up time for the stuff you truly want to say yes to.

In the SmartBrief article you’ll get a few more details on each of the above and also learn how to make it all the changes stick this time. The big one for me is to find an accountability partner. Great idea!

We are not done talking about poinsettias. After last week’s reminisces about poinsettias and the five senses from Marvin Miller, I had several folks write in with their own past and current takes on the Christmas crop. First to write in was Lloyd Traven from Peace Tree Farm in Pennsylvania. Lloyd shared his own reminisces of Paul “Poinsettia Man” Ecke II and his impact on both the industry and Lloyd’s professional life.

“He always made sure to let me know that he was aware of the new shapes and techniques Jack Williams and I were inventing to push the boundaries of what a poinsettia could possibly be,” Lloyd wrote. “We made poinsettia wreaths, pyramids, columns, and had a range of poinsettia standards from a 1-in. clay tree to a full 5-6 footer, all scaled perfectly except for height. He was a truly great man, missed every day.”

If I lived in a warmer climate this would be on my door. 

Lloyd also sent along some photos of when Peace Tree provided poinsettias galore to the set of Martha Stewart’s TV show in the early 2000s.

Decorating the Martha Stewart set with Peace Tree Farm poinsettias in the 2000s.

I absolutely love this arrangement! 

Lloyd directing placement on the Martha Stewart set. 

Poinsettias—they never do go out of style. Thanks for sharing, Lloyd!

The second response came in from Tina Mast at Homewood Nursery in Raleigh, North Carolina. She included a list of all the different poinsettia forms from their 120 varieties—from 1.5-in. terra cotta to their 10-in. “floor plants.” They even have a nice 10-in. bulb pan that can be used as a centerpiece.

“Almost all poinsettias are sold for retail to individual customers as well as bulk orders for churches and businesses,” Tina explained. “We also sell bulk orders for poinsettia fundraisers.  Tables of pre-made, custom arrangements are available for special grab-and-go purchases, and we also make arrangements to order. Gift wrap of pot covers and bows is available for customers wanting to dress up poinsettias they are gifting, and we also have plastic sleeves to help ensure poinsettias arrive at their destination intact and unbroken.”

And that’s just the products—retail is really all about the merchandising and cross-merchandising. Pots and decor items to go with poinsettias are everywhere. “While all of the decorations are for sale, many of them are there to add atmosphere and visual impact to the shopping experience,” Tina added. Such as the selfie-spots in the greenhouses, the 12-ft. tall poinsettia tree and the Poinsettia Trial voting.

In fact, they received some customer feedback via email the other day that spoke to the holiday atmosphere they’ve created at Homewood:

“I just wanted to say what a pleasure it is to Christmas shop at Homewood! Your selection of all kinds of gift items, and of course your outstanding plants, are lovely and presented in such a pleasing way. And your employees are just wonderful—especially the gals who put your plants and planters together. They are friendly and really spread that holiday cheer, and make everything look special and gorgeous! Thank you for this special gift you give to our community. It rubs off on the shoppers—we were all smiling at each other and chatting as we shopped. May God bless you all and Merry Christmas!”

Said Tina about that feedback, “I truly think that people love to see the spectacle and the great selection, but the staff also do an amazing job making them feel welcome and like it’s about more than just selling things but also about being welcoming and kind and even about having fun.”

Have your own holiday happiness to share? Drop me a note about it and I can spread the cheer!

Oh, and by the way, poinsettia buy-backs—any of you doing it? And if not, why? Tell me about that, too.

I am now thoroughly festive for the holidays thanks to all these poinsettias!

I have received a bunch of retail newsletters mentioning that 2025 has been the year of thrifting, aka resale, aka re-commerce or re-comm. The latest one mentioned an eBay poll of consumers who have previously purchased or sold used items—82% of the U.S. respondents said that they were more likely to purchase a secondhand gift this year than last year.

Another newsletter, RetailBrew, this week reported that the reseller site ThredUp, Q3 saw record revenues, a YoY increase of 34% up to $82.2 million. The platform also had 26% more active buyers than the last Q3. All this was somewhat expected by the reselling platform because in February they predicted tariffs would “provide a tailwind to the secondhand market as shoppers seek more affordable options.”

Other resale marketplaces have had a great Q3, if not 2025. Quarterly revenues for luxury goods reseller The RealReal were up 17% YoY. Even luxury buyers are looking for more affordable alternatives.

While the resale conversation is dominated by clothing and fashion brands, others are getting in on resale, too. Tool company Leatherman has started Leatherman Exchange, a peer-to-peer resale program.

This isn’t to say you need to start a resale category for plants or garden products. But maybe it means you host a community thrift sale, garden-related or not. You have to admit, the phrase “community thrift sale” contains three of the hottest words in retail right now.

The Perennial Plant Association has a brilliant lineup of events coming up. The one I’d like to highlight here is a webinar, “Rebuilding Carolina Native Nursery” with owner Bill Jones. Carolina Native Nursery felt the full force of the destruction wrought by Hurricane Helene in September 2024. This webinar will feature Bill’s story and the lessons the company learned as a result. They’ll review what steps the team took quickly to lay the foundation of a successful recovery.

But I find the most valuable lessons are those learned from mistakes and missteps. Bill will cover those, too, including resources available for folks who find themselves on the same end of the stick as Bill did after the storm.

But as the webinar description says, “This webinar will be packed full of useful information we hope you will never need.” May we be so lucky. I think this is what makes this industry so great—we help one another.

The webinar takes place January 14 at 1 p.m. Eastern. Register for the webinar, which is sponsored by Pleasant Run Nursery, HERE. Listen, take notes and know we all have each other’s backs when troubles arise.

And PPA has lots of other events going on. Click over to HERE to check them out. 

The Horticultural Research Institute’s Leadership Academy is now accepting applications for its Class of 2027. HRI designed its Leadership Academy for those in the industry who are looking to take on greater leadership roles. The one-year program teaches participants business strategy, leadership and people management, advocacy and value chain management skills. If you’re passionate about this industry and feel a deep sense of commitment to its goals and the community, this might just be your next career step.

What can you expect to gain after going through the HRI Academy?

• The ability to view your business and its opportunities and challenges holistically
• Improved leadership and people management skills, and an ability to motivate others
• The confidence to effectively manage complex issues and challenges
• The ability to transform vision into action
• Continued growth through participation in a broader industry network of leaders

I’ve met a few HRI Leadership Academy graduates, and they all say the experience has been life-changing, both professionally and personally. If you want to hear from one of them yourself before taking the application plunge, check out this video of program alum Matt Foertmeyer of Foertmeyer & Sons Greenhouse. He’s convincing.

Apply by February 6. Don’t delay! Download the BROCHURE for more information.

Santa gifted me five Tuesdays in the month of December, which means I get to take one of the next two Tuesdays away from this newsletter. I choose next week.

Have the happiest of holiday celebrations over the course of the next dozen days. I’ll see you back here sometime after December 30^th!