Make sure to read until the conclusion to discover our sole commentary regarding pineapple on pizza…
In this edition:
- Hats off to Lena Stergatou, the inaugural recipient of the Kim Parsell Memorial WordCamp Europe Scholarship!
- What stands at 122 feet tall, sports skis for eyelashes, and has spruce trees for arms?
- WP Gives a Hand marks five years of, well, lending a helping hand.
Breaking News: All the Jingle Bell Info You Need
Sleigh Whaaat?!
Can you believe 2024 is almost finished? Ugh, I just started to feel comfortable typing it. You’re telling me I need to begin typing 2025 already? Ugh…
Anyway, we won’t monopolize your time since you likely have pressing matters, like battling your grandparents at Scrabble, grappling with the instructions for that new scooter, and fighting off the post-Thanksgiving slumber. 
But Christmas has us feeling all Santa-mental… so enjoy this little tune:
Have Yourself a Merry Little DEVmas
Have yourself a merry little DEVmas
May your plugins load perfectly
From now on, all errors will vanish from sight
Have yourself a merry little DEVmas
We’ll keep sending memes
And updates on the latest WordPress themes
Here we are just like in days gone by
Posting silly puns galore
While our devoted readers, who are dear to us
Comment on our blogs once more
Throughout the years, we will all work together
If the sites permit
Perhaps we will change the world through coding, somehow
So have yourself a merry little DEVmas now! 
It’s Giving… Well… Giving.
Feeling inspired to be more generous this holiday season? Even without the influence of three guilt-inducing spirits, you might be pondering how to give back. We certainly are, especially knowing that WP Gives a Hand is marking its fifth anniversary! 
This charitable initiative brings businesses together to donate a portion of their profits to aid various non-profit organizations. In the last five years, 29 companies have collectively raised over $52,000 for 19 different charities. Well done!
The 2024 campaign is still going strong, with participating companies donating a slice of their earnings until December 29th. Some of the charities benefiting include SOS Children’s Villages Latvia, World Bicycle Relief, the Italian animal shelter ENPA Mira, One Tree Planted, and UNICEF.
Lena Stergatou Claims the First Kim Parsell Scholarship from WordCamp Europe
The first WordCamp Europe Kim Parsell Memorial Scholarship has been awarded, and the lucky recipient is Greek WordPress developer Lena (Eleni) Stergatou.
Previously exclusive to WordCamp US, this scholarship now extends to WordCamp Asia and Europe, honoring contributors worldwide who embody Kim Parsell’s spirit of community and support for women in tech.
Affectionately known as #wpmom, Kim dedicated countless volunteer hours to the WordPress project, and her legacy continues through the individuals she inspired.
The inaugural winner, Lena describes herself as a “Code Wrangler” and “Happiness Engineer” with skills in multisite setups, Greek translations, and plugin development. She has a Diploma in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the Democritus University of Thrace and is currently developing web services for the Greek educational sector at the Computer Technology Institute (CTI Diophantus).
Lena states, “I enjoy debugging, fixing issues, enhancing functionalities, and sharing them with others.”
The scholarship covers Lena’s travel to the host city of Basel, Switzerland, her hotel stay during the event, and a ticket for the June 2025 WordCamp.
Lena, you’re a star, and we’re thrilled for you! Enjoy your time in Switzerland!
Leave Me Alone, I’m Focusing on My Novel!
So, if this winter is when you intend to finally buckle down and finish that book you’ve been planning to pen, we have some fantastic news.
You can now utilize the WordPress Block Editor to craft your book – then export it as an EPUB file compatible with any e-book application like Kindle or Apple Books.
It manages each heading as a chapter, making it easy to navigate the content from within the e-book reader. You can even upload a custom cover image.
Writing a book on WordPress isn’t a novel idea. In fact, we published a tutorial on organizing an online book using WordPress way back in 2012.
(2012?! In internet years, that blog post is roughly equivalent to the age of this very disgruntled cuneiform tablet.)
However, it wasn’t as simple to do this before, and you would have needed to use one of the many third-party services available to convert your blog posts into a book. As developer Ella reflects in the linked blog post, this marks a significant moment for Gutenberg!
A Few Fun & Festive Tidbits
- When Robert May wrote the story of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer in 1939, he nearly named him Rollo, Romeo, or Reginald. Imagine Santa exclaiming, “Hey Reggie! Bring that luminous nose over here for a moment, would ya?” (Source)
- To deliver gifts to all the children globally, Santa would have to travel at a speed of 4,705,882 km/h. Yikes. (Source)
- Mobile shopping accounted for 51% of holiday purchases last year. (Source)
- For Gen Z, Brussel sprouts are like, totally lit, fam. (Or at least that was the case in 2023.) They became a TikTok trending veggie, leading supermarkets in the UK to report a 150% surge in sales last year. (Source)
- If you ever visit Bethel, Maine, be prepared for a chilly reception… it’s where the world’s tallest snowperson was created. At 122 feet high, she was just a few feet shorter than the Statue of Liberty, sporting ski eyelashes and truck tire buttons. (Source)
A Stocking Overflowing with Blogs & Resources
All you long for this Christmas is the “good, old Twitter?” Eric Karkovack from WPMinute hopes Bluesky will offer a fresh new beginning.
OpenVerse, the platform akin to Santa’s workshop for openly-licensed creative media, now features a Dark Mode toggle, making it much easier on the eyes.
If you could wish for any feature, enhancement, or bug fix in Gutenberg/WordPress from Santa, what would that be? Riad Benguella posed the question, and Martin Dubovic summarized the responses.
And since we can’t deliver real candy for your stocking, how about some visual treats? These creative website designs shared by Jamie Marsland should suffice.
In the midst of last-minute decorating? Here’s a tool that calculates the number of baubles you’ll need based on your tree’s height and width.
And if twinkly lights are your vibe, this website can help you locate the best-decorated homes and official displays in your area.
Sippin’-Boozy-Hot-Chocolate-In-Your-Fuzzy-Onesie Activities
Curious about Santa’s current location? Check in on him with NORAD’s Santa Tracker
Apparently, my Elf Name is Noodles BrightToes, what’s yours?
Want to make an elf dance using code? Of course you do.
Create a cozy winter atmosphere by incorporating falling snow into your WordPress.com site.
And as for the pineapple on pizza debate, we’ll lean on the wisdom of Mario.
**Enjoy a Cheerful and Festive DEVmas Season**
As the year draws to a close and festive cheer abounds, a distinct celebration has arisen in the tech community: DEVmas! A fusion of “developer” and “Christmas,” DEVmas is a festive occasion dedicated to honoring the creativity, camaraderie, and contributions of developers worldwide. Whether you’re an experienced coder, an aspiring programmer, or simply someone who values the wonders of technology, DEVmas is the ideal time to acknowledge the joy of coding and the lively community that makes it all possible.
### What is DEVmas?
DEVmas represents a playful, inclusive, and tech-oriented reinterpretation of the traditional holiday season. It’s a moment to reflect on the feats of the developer community, impart knowledge, and foster goodwill through collaborative endeavors, open-source contributions, and inventive coding challenges. While there’s no set date, DEVmas is typically celebrated throughout December, culminating in a festival of coding delight and tech-themed celebrations.
### How to Celebrate DEVmas
There is no uniform approach to celebrating DEVmas. The charm of this season lies in its adaptability and imagination. Here are some suggestions to help you capture the DEVmas spirit:
#### 1. **Host a Hackathon**
Bring together friends, colleagues, or your local tech community for a holiday-themed hackathon. Develop projects that spread holiday cheer, such as a virtual greeting card generator, a festive game, or an app that keeps track of gift ideas. Hackathons provide an incredible opportunity to collaborate, learn, and create something meaningful.
#### 2. **Contribute to Open Source**
DEVmas is an excellent time to give back to the open-source community. Identify a project you’re passionate about and extend your skills, whether it’s resolving bugs, adding features, or enhancing documentation. Your inputs can significantly impact and assist others in the tech environment.
#### 3. **Decorate Your Workspace**
Transform your coding environment into a festive paradise! Hang some fairy lights, incorporate a few tech-themed decorations (like a 3D-printed circuit board snowflake), and consider crafting a digital holiday-themed wallpaper for your monitor. An uplifting workspace can enhance your mood and productivity.
#### 4. **Share Knowledge**
DEVmas is a time of generosity, and one of the best gifts you can offer is your knowledge. Compose a blog post, record a tutorial, or conduct a webinar to convey your expertise to others. Platforms like DEV.to, GitHub, and YouTube are excellent venues to disseminate the joy of learning.
#### 5. **Engage in Coding Challenges**
Many online forums host holiday-themed coding challenges in December. These competitions are a delightful way to enhance your skills, tackle creative problems, and interact with fellow developers. Keep an eye out for events like Advent of Code, a well-known annual coding challenge that takes place during December.
#### 6. **Organize a Virtual Meetup**
If meeting in person isn’t feasible, consider hosting a virtual gathering with your developer friends or community. Share your favorite projects from the past year, exchange tips and techniques, and celebrate your shared successes. Bonus points if you don an ugly holiday sweater!
#### 7. **Create a DEVmas Playlist**
Music enhances any celebration. Compile a playlist of your favorite coding sounds, ranging from lo-fi rhythms to instrumental tracks. For a festive flair, mix in some holiday classics to maintain a light and cheerful atmosphere.
#### 8. **Reflect on the Year**
Dedicate some time to reflect on your accomplishments as a developer. What projects are you most proud of? What hurdles did you overcome? Assessing your journey can motivate you to establish new objectives for the upcoming year.
#### 9. **Spread Kindness in the Community**
DEVmas encompasses goodwill, so take a moment to recognize the individuals who enrich the tech sphere. Send a note of gratitude to a mentor, leave a complimentary comment on someone’s project, or support a colleague’s work. Small gestures of kindness can leave a significant impact.
#### 10. **Create Something Just for Fun**
Amidst deadlines and deliverables, it’s easy to overlook the sheer joy of creation. Take advantage of DEVmas to construct something whimsical, silly, or purely enjoyable. Whether it’s a chatbot that delivers holiday jokes or a website that tracks Santa’s real-time journey, let your creativity flow.
### The Spirit of DEVmas
At its essence, DEVmas celebrates the passion and creativity of developers. It’s a chance to unite as a community, express your affection for technology, and spread joy through your creations. Whether you’re coding individually or teaming up with others, the spirit of DEVmas embodies connection, creativity, and kindness.
### A Bright Future for DEVmas
As DEVmas grows in popularity, it holds the promise of becoming a beloved tradition within the tech community. By embracing
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