Welcome to the final day of 12 Days of Agents.

This series started with a simple goal: help demystify AI agents and show how they can help with real work. Over the past couple of weeks, we’ve covered a lot of ground — from first principles to real-world examples.

So today, instead of introducing something new, let’s take a moment to reflect on where we’ve been and what is next.

🎅 How Santa Is Like Agents

Santa doesn’t pull off Christmas with magic alone.

Santa works because of:

• Good planning
• Specialized helpers
• The right tools
• And access to lots of information

Agents do the same to be successful.

🎁 The Real Gift of Agents

The greatest gift that agents give us isn’t necessarily increased capacity but the ability to do more meaningful things.

To unlock the biggest wins with agents, look for opportunities to:

• Delegate repetitive tasks to free yourself from tedious work
• Reduce context switching to increase focus
• Let the systems you build take the wheel to increase efficiency
• Use your increased capacity to tackle new challenges

As you learn to delegate, focus, and upskill, you will become more likely to find exciting new opportunities.

🪩 What to Do Next

As you head into the new year, here’s a path to continue on this journey:

1. Pick one task you repeat every week
2. Decide: chatbot, automation, or agent
3. Start with human-in-the-loop
4. Add tools or memory only if needed
5. Use the time saved wisely

Make 2026 the year you start putting agents to work.

✍️ Final Recap

• Agents are a new interface to work, not a replacement for people
• The power comes from orchestration, not magic
• Small wins compound quickly
• Staying curious beats trying to “keep up”

🎄 Thanks for Following Along

Thank you for giving me a reason to write all these posts! I’ve really enjoyed putting this series together. Merry Christmas and happy holidays to you and your loved ones!