Good Morning, Justin!

We’re excited to ring in the New Year with you! Thank you for your amazing support—truly. You are what makes this newsletter so special and what keeps us motivated to hunt down fun events for you and your family, spotlight new businesses, and keep you in the loop on what’s coming to Justin and the surrounding area. We couldn’t do it without you.

Let’s make the year ahead even bigger and better! Share our newsletter with friends and family, send us your upcoming events and fun local stories, and be sure to visit our website to check out the online calendar and past newsletters. If you’re a business or nonprofit looking to connect with the community, we’d also love to talk advertising with you.

Here’s to another year of local fun, community pride, and great things happening close to home!

THE DIGEST

What a year it’s been! Thanks to your incredible support, our newsletter experienced an impressive 92% subscriber growth this year. Watching our community grow has been one of our biggest highlights.

Some of our most-opened newsletters came during the weeks of November 10, November 17, and December 1, with the September 1 edition also standing out as a reader favorite. Click the dates to easily revisit these popular issues.

On social media, the excitement was hard to miss. Our November 4 post became our biggest of the year with 116,234 views. Another standout was our September 11 post announcing MyLan Pho & Grill opening in Justin, which reached 50,961 views after giving readers a sneak peek at the owners and their upcoming restaurant.

We also shared major growth news for Justin, including QuikTrip purchasing land across from Allsup’s and Grapes to Wine+ making progress toward opening. These updates sparked strong engagement and reinforced how much our readers value staying informed on what’s coming next.

As we head into the new year, the momentum is strong—and we’re excited for what’s ahead. Thank you for being part of our growing community.

We’re always looking to feature new voices from our community. If you have a story, helpful tip, or local perspective to share, we’d love to hear from you!

We’re also gathering info on free or low-cost winter break activities. If your church, nonprofit, or school district has events planned to keep kids busy during the holidays, send them our way. We’re excited to help families discover fun, safe, and affordable options this winter.

The holiday season is personally my favorite time of the year. Whether you love this season or not, one thing I think all of us can agree on is that the holidays can be stressful! We are busy making magic for our kids, and often it turns into an overstimulated disaster. When it’s time to transition from the holiday high back to a real-world schedule, we are often met with tantrums, meltdowns, and lots of tears.

So what can you do to help limit these breakdowns? (Keyword limit—breakdowns are inevitable.)

Kids of all ages thrive on consistency. While there will be interruptions to their normal routine, try to keep sleep schedules as consistent as possible. The music, people, lights, and sugary foods can be overstimulating, and their bodies need time to reset.

A few sleep reminders:

For your own sanity, don’t let your kiddo skip nap and stay up late. It may seem like the right option, but I promise it ends in tears. We can make fun memories and stay (somewhat) sane! Sleep is key!

Another key to coming down from the holiday high is getting balanced foods back in their diets. I’m sure all our kids’ Gigi’s and Pop Pop’s have fed them way too much sugar. Gaining control of sugar intake and adding proteins, fruits, and veggies helps their bodies regulate again. I’m not saying to cut sugar out completely—just start cutting back and using treats intentionally. Your kiddo still gets sweets, but you’re back in control of how often and how much.

It never fails—you’re stressed, the TV is on, the dog is barking, kids are screaming, and then your child says “Mom!” for the millionth time and you snap. You are your kid’s safe space. It’s easy for adults to get overstimulated too. Your kids are craving your attention. Be intentional about seeking them out, offering a hug, sharing kind words, or reading a book. Reminding them they are a priority helps them emotionally regulate.

And lastly—enjoy the chaos. This season of life with littles isn’t meant to be pristine and perfect. It’s meant to be messy, loud, and full of laughter. Give yourself grace, meet your kids where they are, and make the memories. At the end of the day, being there for your kids is what matters most.

Guest Author: Emily Waltz
Justin Fine Arts Preschool
🌐 https://www.justinpreschool.com/
📘 https://www.facebook.com/JustinFineArtsPreschool

~Emily is passionate about supporting families and children through all the seasons of life—especially the messy, loud, and love‑filled ones.

From new openings to exciting developments, Justin and the surrounding area have seen plenty of growth this year! Here’s a quick rundown of some of the business news and community updates we’ve covered throughout 2025—everything from restaurants and retail to sports and family hubs.

Stay tuned! More updates on openings, events, and local hotspots in every newsletter edition.

As the year winds down, things are a little quieter around town this week. While there aren’t a ton of events on the calendar right now, it’s the perfect time to catch your breath before the new year kicks off. Be sure to check out our website for a full list of upcoming events and activities to start the new year strong—there’s plenty to look forward to just around the corner!

Wednesday~ Dec. 31

Thursday~ Jan. 1

Friday~ Jan. 2

Saturday~ Jan. 3

_Upcoming:
^{1/8~ Justin City Council Meeting
1/13~ Justin Parks and Recreation Advisory Board Meeting
1/15~Economic/ Community Development Corporation Meeting
1/8-10~ Descendants the Musical at 2300 Texan Dr, Justin}

Over the past year, we spent 52 consecutive weeks exploring the rich history of our community. We began the year by tracing the story of the Justin Bank—starting with the first bank established in 1907, which stood for many years before being carefully dismantled brick by brick and relocated to Dallas. We then examined the next two Justin bank buildings, both of which still stand today as reminders of our town’s financial and architectural legacy.

Throughout the year, we highlighted the individuals behind the original city plat and uncovered what may be the first official document to bear our town’s name, dating back to 1887.

We also revisited the pivotal moment when our small community officially became an incorporated city in the eyes of the State of Texas, along with the many “firsts” that followed. These included our earliest city leaders: Mayor W. I. Bishop, City Marshal C. P. Owens, and the original aldermen—W. A. Cox, Leo Adams, Louis Tate, Charlie Sims, and B. L. Adams.

From the earliest beginnings of the town to the milestone of incorporation, we covered a wide range of stories that helped shape Justin into what it is today. Here’s to 2026, and to continuing our commitment to delivering quality historical content for Justin and the surrounding areas.