👋 Hey friends,

It’s that time of year again — the world slows down, inboxes fill with glittering offers, and somehow even your phone feels merrier.

But here’s what most people don’t realize: behind every “perfect gift” suggestion and last-minute sale notification is a network of algorithms quietly choreographing the holiday rush.

This year, the biggest story in retail wasn’t who offered the best deals — it was how AI learned to feel festive.

Across the web, large language models and recommendation engines didn’t just predict what we’d buy.

They anticipated why we buy — and in the process, turned Christmas into the most emotionally intelligent shopping season ever.

So today, we’re peeling back the wrapping paper on what might be the most human moment in tech yet.

In This Edition, We’ll Explore:

• How AI-powered personalization made 2025’s holiday shopping feel almost magical

• The “Emotion Engine” that taught algorithms to read joy, nostalgia, and generosity

• What the numbers say about AI’s impact on spending and consumer behavior

• Lessons for builders: how to design products that spark delight, not just conversion

• And finally — what this season teaches us about scaling empathy, not just efficiency

— Naseema Perveen

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