WIP and Chat - Starting my 200th diamond painting, and it's good to be back after the holidays!

[@pamelamatthews2896]

🥳we open our presents one at a time. It is less about focusing on an individual than kids learning to be patient, taking turns and making the time to appreciate each gift. When they were younger we would do some and then take a break and come back. Love to hear your 2025 plans. Logan sounds like an absolute legend

[@misuzukamio8337]

Hey Katie! I just wanted to thank you! When i first got into Diamond painting( i think it was like in the beggining of 2022) i found your channel by chance. To be honest i lost my Diamond Painting Sparkle in the last Year. I just kinda stopped. I knew i still loved it but with my exhausting ADHD i just kinda never went back even though i missed it sometimes. This year i decided to do things diffenrently and i am listening to your wip and chat while painting for the first time in months or maybe even a year. Gosh, i've missed it. Got a lot to catch up to! But seriously, thank you for your videos to keep us company!❤

[@poetangel922]

I definitely missed you but am so glad you unplugged! I made sure to watch your videos so the algorithm kept you. I definitely would watch your hopes and dreams video.

[@basketballgirl60]

Hi Katie 🎊 Would absolutely love to see your goals for ‘25 video- and please make sure to include pictures of any kits you talk about (whether you do a face video or wip and chat style)

[@lauriejoseph8478]

Hi Katie! I loved hearing about your Christmas spent here in OH! What wonderful memories your boys will have someday! Our Christmas was wonderful spent with our family. 🎉🎉🎉

[@pamelafoley3811]

🎉 Happy New Year, Katie! I really want to see your temperature project for the year. I am glad you had a good trip and are home safe.

[@TheDiamondTechCourtney]

My son is 11 and also Micah! We love our babies so much seeing them so happy is such a blessing. My son has always had such a sweet heart and I pray that he stays sweet!

[@LukewarmCoffee134]

I was so excited to see new WIP and Chat this week and also to hear that the your holidays ware a success! I like the idea for video whit you plans/goals for the new year. Thank you for the video! 🎉

[@BooksandDiamonds]

I’m so happy you had such a good trip. Our kiddos grow up fast but just know… while my cuddly boy is now 17 and doesn’t cuddle like he used to, he still is great at giving me random hugs throughout the day and telling me he loves me. So of course.. please enjoy each snuggle, but know that the sweet boy is still there… sometimes under the grumpy teen 😊 🥳 Wishing you all the very best 2025 can offer.

[@Stef_T-G]

🐍🐲 I'm sad about the year of the Dragon end but I love snakes So I'm happy about it! I think make market have a small kit with few different snakes, like a sticker kit of something like this. If I had the time I would do a snake each month, even if it is to make a design myself in an app. But my Yuumei kit is super big and I don't know how low it is going to take me to complete! 😅 I hope 2 moths max 😅 I'm interested in everything you mentioned! I also think that if you feel burnt out about content, maybe take exemple on Lisette and fo the type of video you like instead of what is "typical"? Of course if you like everything already maybe it is just a matter of slowing down a bit 😊 I loved the year in review and you made me buy one from those 😅

[@jenniferzyren7521]

Yay! I’m happy you took the week off and came back refreshed. My family right now waits and watches someone open their gifts, but I only have 3 people. When I was at my grandparents house when I was younger and there were a ton of people (cousins, aunts, uncles), it was more chaotic like your family. I was nodding my head when you shared your baby shower story because I was the exact same way. Everyone was looking at me and they were all good friends but I still felt so nervous and anxious. Anyway I would love a video on what you are going to be working on this year. I want to finish some of my stash so I’ll be working on that this year. 🎉 🐍

[@verenaheidelberger24]

Happy New Year 2025! Our holidays are pretty low-key since it was just my husband and I with my parents and we're all in our 50s and above. We just alternate opening gifts and enjoy the moment. No stress, just relaxing. I hope you have a great year ahead and I look forward to watching more of your videos. Cheers!!!

[@susandowney6386]

Happy New Year, Katie. As for Christmas morning traditions, the adults in the family don't exchange gifts, it's really about the kids.

[@lalickly3900]

200 is amazing! Congratulations, and Happy New Year 🎉

[@cmdv94]

Apateu, apateu, apateu Uh, uh-huh, uh-huh… thanks Katie… now I can’t get that song out of my head!! 🤣 Happy New Year! Glad that everyone is back safe and sound. 🎉🎉🎉

[@gloripetersen3745]

🎉🎈🎊🐍 Happy to see you! So great that your holiday travel and visit went so smoothly. Goal videos are great. My year is the Snake, so we'll see how that goes. 😉

[@macook987]

We open presents Christmas eve. Christmas day is for santa. We open one at a time clock wise. The two littles usually get extra ones through out the evening.

[@SherryM2366]

🥂🎇🎉HAPPY NEW YEAR! My family Christmas morning is the most chaos of the chaotic that you would ever want to see. Everyone unwraps at the same time so paper and bows fly everywhere. We have to carefully go thru the trash at the end to make sure nothing got mixed up in it that wasn’t suppose to.😂 It’s crazy fun. I would love to see a “goals 2025” video! Also how about a video on what to put in your logbook and how to organize it. That would be helpful to me😊

[@janette-23948]

So happy you're back! I relate so much to your anxiety about being watched opening gifts... yikes yes (serious socialanxiety)! We have a sort of mindful chaos approach to opening gifts, if that makes sense. We all kid of open everything together and thank each other as we go. Usually there's a self-appointed gift passer outer😜. I enjoy that method personally. Glad you had a wonderful time with your family 😊.

[@charmainecruz2316]

Im the 200th like!! I love this kit so much! Im so happy this is your wip!

[@April-SW]

🎉🎉🐍🐍 Opening gifts in our family is somewhere in between yours. A few of us open gifts at the same time slowly so everyone can see what others got. But it doesn’t make one person the center of attention as much.

[@verenaheidelberger24]

Happy New Year 2025! Our holidays were just my husband and I with my parents and since we're all in our 50s and above it was pretty low-key. We alternated opening gifts and just had a relaxing day. I hope you have a great year ahead and I look forward to more of your unboxings this year! Cheers! 😃🎉

[@LisaNewf]

🎉🐍🎊 Katie, you’re not alone. I hate opening gifts with everyone watching me. We always opened ours at the same time.

[@kiwicherryxo]

happy new year!! i figured out today that year of the snake is my year and i’m happy for what’s to come! i might try and find a snake painting (i know one came out from roy not too long ago). we normally do 1 at a time just because there’s 3 of us! i completely get what you mean about being anxious when having a bunch of people watching you open gifts!

[@elliet68]

🎉 Happy New Year Katie wishing you, Adam and the Kiddos all the best for 2025. Christmas morning as a child we used to get one or two gifts wrapped under the tree of our parents. Our Christmas stocking would be at the end of our beds when we woke (around 4am lol) we would open our stocking together my little sister and I. We would then drag them into our parents room get into bed with them and unload the sacks onto there bed showing them each item with pure delight. We used to get colouring books, crayons, felt pens, games, annual ect and a satsuma and 10p. (Lots more bits ect) we would then put them all back in the sacks and go back to our room and play or nap. We would go down stairs and mum always or dad first as we didn't have central heating so the fire would be put on then we would go down for breakfast before opening prescents. Now it is usually just Dean and I and sometimes we are excited and open them just after midnight this year we waited till just after breakfast lol. Thanks for the WIP and Chat hun x Ellie X

[@aprilp.0129]

Hello we open gifts one at a time and take turns around the tree opening gifts so we can all see the excitement folks feel. That said it is only for close family so our immediate family and my brother with his family so we all feel very relaxed around one another and not like we have to be “on”

[@DebBlake-b1d]

Glad to have you back Katie! We always did a free-for-all gift opening when our kids were younger. Now that they are older, they want to open them one at a time. Since they mostly get money, it doesn't take long. Happy New Year 🎆

[@jenniferj4191]

It’s so fun that you are working on your 200th kit! I feel like it always feels good to get into the regular routine. Have a good week ❤🎉🐍

[@Artemis_dreams]

Congratulations on your 200th canvas. Love Mandy Manzano's art work, it translates so well into diamond paintings.

[@sonicskatergirl]

Congrats on the 200th kit! I would love to see you do more WIP n Chats honestly. I love listening to them at work or watching them while I diamond paint. Especially for this kit. I only started religiously purchasing from DAC this past August and missed this era or Mandie Manzano kits. Christmas and the holidays were overall good and I’ve been working through my first DAC canvas (Fly Fishing Legacy by Chuck Pinson) and am officially understanding what people mean by confetti filled landscapes. Still loving it tho. 😂

[@nancyregan9585]

Looking forward to the year of the ox!

[@rosedawn21]

If I remember correctly, when I was little, my cousins and I would open all the gifts from one family member at a time. For example, aunt A gave all her gifts to us and we would open them together. So on and so forth 😊🎉🎉

[@Alicia-Slab15]

I would LOVE a How To video for a temperature project!

[@selinarenard1289]

Happy new year Katie 🎉

[@jillb2889]

🎉🎉Congrats on your 200th canvas. Glad you had a wonderful holiday, you were missed! Can’t wait for this new year!

[@DonnaBanks-em8qs]

Sooo glad to hear your trip went well and that Connor made a new cousin friend. When my kids were growing up we had them open up their gifts alternating between them and then it was the adults turn. ⛄️

[@shawna-3]

❄️ I just realized I was born in the year of the Fire Dragon. Too bad I didn't realize that until it's almost over, but I may have to get a dragon kit or two this year 🐲 I'm a Capricorn and the year of the goat is 2027 I think so maybe that will be a theme 😂 I'm so glad your travel and holidays went smoothly and you had a nice break. I feel the same about opening presents in front of people. It is a lot of pressure. I am one of those people who doesn't like surprises, probably for similar reasons 😮 We are more on the chaotic side on how we open presents. I would love to hear your ideas for 2025, no matter what format you do!!

[@michellebrice2990]

🎆Great WIP n Chat video for the new year, Katie! I would enjoy seeing your 2025 Hopes video. Great choice for your 200th painting! My family's Christmas tradition has always been to open one present on Christmas Eve then on Christmas morning everyone just opens their presents. Usually an adult hands them out but there's no order to whom opens first. Everyone just opens. I hope you have a wonderful 2025. P.S. missed you and your videos while you were gone but glad you had wonderful family time. I'm glad you're back.

[@DsteinlM]

We do them one at a time. We actually number all the gift for the kids and have a list to know who it belongs to. A gift is picked and then that person opens it and picks the next one. It’s fun. I spend a lot of time choosing and wrapping gifts. I want to enjoy seeing them received. At extended family Christmas we pass them all out and do 1 gift at a time by age just like Adam’s family.

[@nancymorris6534]

Happy New Year🎉. It is just me and my husband but we have Christmas breakfast with my dad's family and it is just happy chaos. We draw a name instead of buying for each person and the kids pass out the gifts for adults first then we get to watch them tear into theirs. 😂

[@erindreams1790]

I'm currently working on Matchmakers Maze by Mandie Manzano. It's my first of her art, and I totally feel you on the black first/colors later vibe. As someone who colors in adult coloring books, it's a familiar feeling. Plus, Mandie's colors are just stunning. I love all of her work.

[@quinellleftwich1781]

I was excited to see your video pop up! Im so glad you had a wonderful holiday. You all certainly deserve it. I would love to see your hopes for 2025. I love all your ideas though to be honest. As far as Christmas gifts....we do a combination of both. We kinda give each child their moment to open their gifts and explode about it because they are just children. The adults kinda open one at a time but its so fun and exciting that another person starts opening theirs before the one is finished. Most of the time its all about the kids though. I meant to mention that my oldest and his wife got a kitten. Its getting pretty big now. Anyway, their middle child has recently been diagnosed with ADHD and they are still doing some testing. Anyway, he has claimed the cat as his. The therapist or doctor (not sure of title) suggested they get the cat labeled as an emotional support pet for him. I thought that was a great idea. As far as after Christmas blues...Im glad you said something. I thought it was just me. I have suffered with that since I was a child. I didnt know how to express it and I didnt want my parents to think I was being ungrateful for my gifts so I never said anything. Then as an adult I experienced the same thing. Its bad after Thanksgiving but really bad after Christmas. I thought it was just part of S.A.D and I just learned about that in the last few years. I never said a word to anyone about after holiday blues until now. Thank you for being honest and open about things. I have learned so much from you and Rachel Rae. 🎉🎊

[@carolracine4356]

I’m glad to hear that you unplugged; it’s so important for your mental health to recharge. And spending time with family is a major priority especially when the kids are young. Warms my heart that Your cousin was truly interested and engaged with Connor and how lovable he is with you. Micah is growing up and taking an interest in things too. I would be very interested in your video about 2025 hopes and thoughts for the new year! Happy New Year! Wishing you a good year. BTW, I smiled when I heard Adam has family in Bloomington, IL as I have extended family there and we had an annual reunion in the fall. 😊❄️🎆

[@jasonhilts3824]

Happy new year 🎊🎊🎉

[@shanamarissabrown]

I have always felt the same exact way about the Polar Express 😂 Happy New Year 🎉

[@lesliediamondpaints]

A year of the “rainy day” kit would be awesome!

[@SparklingDiamondsandLights]

Hi Katie! Glad your trip was good & you guys are getting settled back in. As far as our family traditipn on Christmas Day, we all have lunch 1st at my Mom's and then we all gather in the living room and my Dad passes out the gifts. We kinda just all open as we want. Alot of times we help the grandbabies (as they are still little) and then we all just open when we want. We do like to watch each other but its not a requirement. We do all like to watch our parents open their gifts. By then the littles are playing etc. It's sometimes chaotic but always a good time! I would absolutley love to hear what your Hopes are for 2025!🎆🎇

[@txlaura]

So glad you had a chance to relax and unplug. It’s really necessary! Looking forward to ushering in the year of the 🐍! My son will be 24 in March so he is a snake 🐍 🎊🎉🪅

[@melissawood4317]

I am working on an older Mandie Manzano kit as well-Wonderland for the Alice In a Winter Wonderland event! Love your 200th!!! ❄️🎉

[@GraceLBDP]

I would love to hear your "hopes" for 2025. Love the face ons too. I'm doing "possibilities" for 2025. Sounds more fun with no pressure!

[@Jan_Smyth]

Happy New Year Katie 🎉. Would love to see a video on your 2025 hopes and goals. Our Christmas is always a whirlwind 😂. 18 family at our house for Christmas lunch 🥙. And the weather here (Queensland Australia 🇦🇺) has been sooo hot 🥵. Had a great day though, just taken almost 2 weeks to recover 😜. Take care ❤

[@GailMcCormick]

My in laws do the one at a time thing and while I understand that it's good to take turns, my anxiety disagrees also. My family moved to a everyone grabs one and opens it at the same time, and I much prefer that. You can still look over and see what they opened, but it's not quite as bad for the anxiety. It gets a little weird when some folks (kids) have more presents than others though, so you have to do some extras in between. 🎉🍷

[@nickytmorris]

I don't have kids, but when we do presents with our families, we generally just open everything up at once. I, too, dislike when people watch me open my gifts haha Happy New Year! 🎆

[@onetiredwriter]

I completely empathise! Everyone in my family is autistic except for my mom, and none of us can stand Christmas because of the change in routine. I especially struggle with showing my appreciation for a gift when my external reaction to everything is so restrained.

[@sarahbagpussmorris]

happy new year

[@KarlyA.]

It’s totally not about being spoiled. You have present anxiety. I have had it my whole life. Well, I guess I’ve had it since my early teenage years. Since becoming more self aware. It’s a thing! 😅 Very thankful and appreciative but very self conscious about how your face is reacting to seeing the gift for the first time. 😅 🎉

[@moonmakes]

Happy new year! 🎉 I'm for sure also riding the struggle bus when it comes to regaining a daily schedule after the holidays - it'll get there eventually, with my therapist's help if need be 😂 For our Christmas, 1. We celebrate and open gifts on the 24th! Here in northern Europe, the 25th is for "building the legos" you were gifted the night before, and it's always been a pyjamas-only day in my family ❤ 2. We used to be an "all at once" gift-opening family, but most of my older family members expressed that they wanted to see and know all the gifts everyone recieved - so since three years back we've gone around the circle and opened one gift at a time. This year we kind of hit a balance in between though: all the adults went in a circle, but the kiddos were allowed to open gifts and start playing with them after the first go around. This way, the kiddos weren't waiting, and my own anxiety was lower because of the huge distraction that my nephews posed 😂😊

[@AllyJNova]

🥳🥳 Happy 2025 Katie! Congrats on 200!! Yesssss please a “hopes” video!! Christmas with our family is a madhouse. Even if we start organized and one at a time, it doesn’t last. 😂

[@coolmishka0]

In Denmark we’d opening gifts the 24th at night. In my family we had done both 😀

[@cindybennett5646]

Love your video....I say do what you want to do...🎉🎉🎉

[@kennethalfonso3241]

I discovered these Mandie panels right as they were being discontinued and lost a bunch on my initial wishlist and have been stalking the destash groups (specifically 1 in particular) but they get posted and sold so quickly that I keep missing the absolute must have for me in the Princess panels 💜🤷🏻‍♂️

[@nancyregan9585]

I picked this one up using the 25% off post-Christmas offer. Couldn't resist.

[@openorwap5412]

Yes please! I'd love to hear about your plans for '25 - coz I'm nosey like that 😆✨️👍🏽

[@AndiAdams-xd5zg]

I’m an only child, so my family just opens them at the same time. My husbands family opens them one at a time and it took me a few years to get used to that, so I completely understand where you’re coming from 😂 🎆🎇

[@kenyub]

My family do gifts one at a time youngest to oldest taking turns so one child is not waiting for someone else to open gifts. Once kids are done. Adults do the same thing.

[@kateguerini5533]

There no way that wanting not to be watched makes you spoiled. It would just be nerve wrecking! We open gifts all at once.

[@ronda757]

Looking forward to 2025!! So glad you had an amazing holiday!!

[@emilyvanvoorhis]

Team Adam on this one 😜 Although it’s never that many people.

[@Crimson_and_Clover_]

Ooo.. I was born in the year of the 🐷! So I'm a swine.😅 I wonder if there are cute chibi pig diamond painting kits!! My family follows Adam's Christmas traditions to a T when it comes to opening presents. Little ones are practically bouncing off the walls to open their presents, so they always go first & then one person opens it & we all zoom in on their face with our cameras half an inch from their faces. I have gotten self conscious a couple of times when I couldn't undo a bow & I could FEEL people getting irritated with me.🤔 But now I'm old and selfish so I take my time.😂 🎉🎉🎉

[@madelyn2325]

I'm also doing a Mandy Manzano, diamond painting I am currently doing Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory it's also my very first Mandy painting.

[@diamondsandsims6125]

Ours is chaotic and very loud. I’m surprised my then 2 week old slept through all the noise. Someone dresses up as Santa and calls out the names and who it’s from and the we go ham

[@TheSeaofDiamonds]

It depends who I’m with how Christmas gift open goes and it’s all three. Me, my brother and parents do a we each get one and open (my favourite). My dad’s parents it’s complete chaos. My mom’s parents it’s one at a time. It’s strange how three houses within my family does it so different lol 🐉

[@tnangel34]

🎉🎉🎉

[@rosedawn21]

Also, reminder that you DO have a snake kit 😅 lol Talk to the Snakes from Jaded Gem Shop that you did an unboxing of not too long ago 🐍🐍

[@legalisefreedom]

I was born in the year of the dragon, too, and I was pretty stoked. Apparently, if its your animal year, it's going to be a "bad" year for you. Mine started off by breaking my ankle.... so, yeah. For 2025, my goal is to finish my entire stash without buying more. The exception is for small/tiny kits to break up my large paintings, which is pretty much my whole stash. Hope 2025 is a better year for you! 🥂

[@crystalbarker4442]

I would love a hopes video

[@jadeartfuljabrickart3442]

Congratulations on your 200th kit worked on my last section on my first square and largest kit while watching this wip and chat medsua by chrissabug bug. My family open one gifts gifts all At the same time

[@SplashofDiamonds]

That okay I did a yrly review and my brain said 2021 and I wasn’t even DPing then lol

[@chrisraudenbush3771]

It was just my parents and my brother and I, so it was a free for all. Since it was just four of us, my parents didn't have issues missing our reactions. I hate to be center of attention, and I would not want people staring at me opening presents and waiting for my reaction. If I ever had a significant other whose family did that, I could not do it.

[@melonieelizabeth]

🎉

[@elizabethwarman9028]

🐉🐉🐉🐉🐉🐉🐉🐉Hi Katie, Happy 2025. My immediate family has passed away. But, growing up the Uncles, Aunts, Grandparents and Grandma, plus my parents and sister would have Turkey, with everything. My Grandma was from Nova Scotia, and related to the British Royal family so everyone would have a glass of Christian Bros Port, including my sister and I. Then we would lift our glasses to the Queen. When opening our gifts, this was done oldest to youngest. We even exchanged gifts on Boxing Day. Oh yea I am a third generation American on my Mom's side, and third generation Californian on both sides. I am glad you and your family had a wonderful time visiting family. Tell Connor, my Great Grandfather on my Mom's Father's side was a railroad engineer. But, my Great Grandfather came to America as a slave. I am not a Lord of the Rings fan, but I am DUNE fan. Like you I have been in a reading slump. My therapist says this has to do with my severe ADHD. This year I need 2025 to a positive growth year. I need to get back into reading, actual books, and not books on Astrophysics. Glad you had no problems on your flights, and there were no Karens or Kevins flying with you.

[@jenniferparker1671]

Omg I so have to make notes or I forget. I hate my brain at times

[@TKoester2]

🎊 🎉

[@TKoester2]

We let the kids open their’s first. They would never last until it was their turn again 😂

[@creativelycynara]

🎉🥂🎉🥂

[@devongiven4674]

🥳🎉

[@SpeakingofDiamonds]

🎊🎊🎊

[@samanthacullor7738]

🎉🐍 Happy New Year 2025!!

[@amygray5150]

Happy 2025.. hope everyone has great things in new year 🎉

[@CourtKaufmann]

🎇🍾🎉

[@kpuuri]

🥂🎉🎊

[@Trinh1227]

🍾🎊🐍

[@ronda757]

🎊🎆🥳

[@vibekerosslandolsen7157]

❤🎉🎉🎉🎉

[@cynthiagant774]

🥶 ❄️ 💙💎

[@angellearose]

Happy 2025 🎉 Love and Hugs to all in the Comments ❤

[@samanthamoore_89]

🎉🐍😊🩷💜

[@Angelray-gj8di]

🐍🎉🎊

[@andreaaufdermaur8733]

Bless You! 😄 ..and a happy New Year! ☺️

[@anitaminer8059]

🎉🥳🎊🐲🐉❤