Dad’s ornament shop was hurting — until daughter made TikTok. ‘You saved this business’
A daughter and millions on TikTok helped make a dad’s wish come true by reviving his ornament business just in time for Christmas.
A TikTok creator known as Makayla reached out on the social media platform for help when she noticed her father’s ornament business in Grand Rapids, Michigan, was faltering at the most critical time of the year.
“It’s the middle of December and my dad is currently walking around our warehouse wondering why we aren’t busy with orders. I’ve been trying so hard to promote his ornaments, but I don’t know what to do anymore,” she wrote in her TikTok. “It makes me so sad. Like…this is his livelihood.”
MaKayla’s father’s livelihood is unique. He specializes in spooky ornaments, called “HorrorNaments,” to add a pinch of fear to the festive season. HorrorNaments makes figurines to hang on Christmas trees — from mini Michael Myers and half-eaten gingerbread men to zombie unicorns and mistletoes.
The businesses is niche, but when MaKayla shared her father’s work on TikTok, it hit the goldmine.
“Don’t give up! I have been searching for over 30 years for the perfect gift for my best friend and these products are the answer,” one person commented.
“My daughter would absolutely LOVE these ornaments because she’s rather eccentric as she says. So I’m going to surprise her and get one,” another said.
Within three days of MaKayla’s original post, more than 13 million people had seen her plea for business, and the shop received 5,000 orders.
As MaKayla was recording a shop update for her viewers, she said her father walked up to her car in the parking lot in tears.
“You saved this business,” he told her in the TikTok. “You just saved this business. You have no idea how tickled I am.” He wrapped her in a big hug and kissed her head.
“I love how children say ‘we will never be able to repay our parents,’” one person commented. “I feel like most of us do, but in different ways. You definitely did.”
This story was originally published December 16, 2022 at 2:23 PM with the headline "Dad’s ornament shop was hurting — until daughter made TikTok. ‘You saved this business’."
