It's officially holiday season, hot cocoa season, Mariah Carey season—whichever one you celebrate. November and December could almost be described as "non-months." They're a time when things start to calm down, wrap up, and, let's be honest, when people kind of check out until the new year.

But that's not the case for everyone. The holidays are the busiest season for thousands of Houstonians, people who spring into action to entertain or feed you as your family gets into the festive spirit. Business owners who make most of their money during this season. Creatives who rehearse for months to show off their talents to the biggest crowds of the year.

We’ve profiled several of them in Houstonia over the past couple months. Local costumers have been hard at work way before December to bring Houston's Christmas shows to life. The Nutcracker ballet dancers double down on electrolytes, massages, and dry needling to prevent injuries during an intense stretch of 35 performances. Bakers and cooks make tens of thousands of pies and tamales. And your local bartenders string up Christmas lights and decorations themselves to add to the festive mood.

Happy holidays to them all, and to all a happy new year.