A Christmas Story

Brooklyn, NY, December 25th, 2015. Growing up an only child to a single mother, you can imagine the type of bond my mother and I have. This is a unique Christmas tradition that you certainly have not heard before.

Every year for Christmas for as long as I can remember, my mom would make me a surprise Christmas theme with wrapping paper, decorations, and a full out presentation. From 101 Dalmatians to the Jonas Brothers, our Christmas tradition is actually how the name "Starker" came to be (she misspelled stalker in 2014 when she made a detective board of all the places I was with Nick Jonas that year). There have been runways, things thumbtacked to the ceiling, boxes mimicking Russian dolls, you name it. It may be Christmas, but sometimes it feels like Easter with the scavenger hunt...the presents are always endless!

As I get older my mom is running out of ideas and has joked to stop, but I've insisted that this a lifelong commitment she has made. Last year my mom blew up all my pictures with Joe & Nick onto canvases and displayed them all around my presents. This was a twofer because these were decorations and gifts! I was so excited I had to get a picture with them, and broadcast it on social media of course.

A few hours later, I got a Instagram notification that DNCE liked my picture. Before I totally freaked out, I kept my composure long enough to check that this like came from THE verified @dnce account and not a fan account. Sure enough, I couldn't believe my eyes. That blue check meant everything. Since the invention of social media I had been trying to get the attention of the Jonas'. A like, a retweet, a comment, anything! And this was it. Not only did my mom come up with the name of my brand and concept of my blog, but she got me my first acknowledgment from the people I was seeking it from all along. It was a very DNCE Christmas after all 🎄