The holidays have a way of compressing time.

One moment, you’re a child on the floor near the Christmas tree, surrounded by siblings, wrapped in the quiet certainty that someone older and steadier is holding everything together. Next, you’re grown—trying your best to recreate the magic, exhausted, determined, and hoping no one notices how tired you are because the moment matters more than you do.

And then, suddenly, you’re standing still long enough to realize how quickly those moments passed and how fragile they were all along.

This year, as I reflect on the holidays, I keep returning to that truth: December doesn’t just bring celebration. It brings back memories.

For many of us, there was a season of life when we stepped into roles we weren’t quite ready for. We lost parents, held families together, and made sure traditions survived even when energy, resources, or certainty were thin. We did it because it mattered. Because memory is built in those moments. That exhaustion wasn’t weakness. It was devotion.

As we grow older, this season sharpens our awareness of time. We remember who used to sit in certain chairs. Who used to host. Who made things feel steady. And we realize how quickly life rearranges itself. Not everyone who shaped our traditions is still here, but the meaning they created remains.

The holidays remind us, sometimes gently and sometimes painfully, that the people and moments we love are not permanent. They are precious because they are fleeting.  

At MARQUEE, we spend our days helping organizations tell their stories, often during moments of transition, challenge, or growth. That’s why our work matters.

Because stories aren’t just marketing tools. They are how we remember, how we honor effort, and how we hold onto meaning when time keeps moving forward.

In much the same way families do at this time of year, the nonprofits we serve, the small businesses we support, and the community organizations we help amplify, strive to create moments that carry meaning long after they pass.

As this year draws to a close, I’m grateful for the memories that shaped me, the people who walked beside me, and the work that allows us to help others preserve what matters most. Because December teaches us something important, every single year: Time moves fast - meaning doesn’t have to.

— Aundréa Cika Heschmeyer, President

* SHOWN: Upper Level Tattoo landing page sections featuring a static side menu bar for easy navigation.

WHY THIS STANDS OUT:

• Most of our clients tend to be more formal: non-profit organizations, professional services, corporate brands, restaurants and catering clients. With Upper Level Tattoo, I got to embrace a vibe that’s bold, expressive, and full of personality.

• The landing page gave me a playground: bold visuals, edgy typography, tattoo-parlor atmosphere—these were things we rarely get to dive into with the same creative license.

• Something about working with a “fun client” matters. The tattoo shop space is inherently about art, individuality, and statement-making. It let me flex my design muscles in a new way and produce something that’s not just a “page” but a mood.