Meet Nichole Smith, Owner of Beau & Hattie

For Nichole Smith, mom of two and owner of Beau & Hattie, motherhood has been her greatest joy — but also her most demanding job. Like so many moms, Nichole spent years juggling the constant pull of work, marriage, kids, and friendships, often feeling like there wasn’t much left for herself. “It’s so easy to lose yourself in it all,” Nichole says. “But I’ve realized I don’t have to spread myself so thin that I lose who I am. Being a mom is the most amazing thing I’ve ever done — but it’s not my only identity, and feeding into the other parts of me actually makes me a better mom.”

One of those passions? Helping other moms make the holidays feel magical without burning out. Nichole’s now-famous December Sanity Kits started out of her own frustration with the holiday pressure cooker — and specifically, the nightly Elf on the Shelf scramble. “I got the elf to do something fun and extra for my kids,” she laughs, “but I was so stressed out trying to come up with new ideas every night. And when I forgot to move the elf? That was a terrible start to the day.”

That’s when inspiration struck. If she was struggling surely other moms were too. She created a set of ready-to-go activities and accessories — complete with a keepsake personalized ornament — to take the stress out of Elf on the Shelf. The result? A blueprint for holiday magic that saves time, energy, and a whole lot of mom guilt.

Five years later, Nichole hasn’t repeated a single activity in her kits, and the response from moms has been overwhelming. “It makes my heart so happy to hear moms say that it takes one thing off their plate during the busiest time of year,” she says.

Beau & Hattie has since grown beyond December Sanity Kits, offering hand-crafted jewelry, oyster shell trinket dishes, personalized sunglasses, and more — all designed with joy and intention. And while Nichole now works as an assistant in a Special Settings classroom (a role she adores), Beau & Hattie remains her passion project. “This business is my creative outlet, and it brings me so much joy,” she says. “If I can help other moms find a little more breathing room and a little more magic during the holidays — that’s a win.”

Get ahead of the Holiday rush this year and order your December Sanity Kit!