So, I was struggling a bit to get into my fall holiday spirit. Don’t fret, it happens sometimes. Two summer-type vacations in September (both were short), summer-like weather here and an unsettled mind as I geared up to be modestly busy again led to a lack of clear holiday focus. Now, if you know me, there is nothing I like more than celebrating a full holiday season of Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day. As soon as we got into October and I hadn’t settled into my holiday season, I got twitchy.
Yesterday evening, fall hit me. Hard, fully and in that spectacular way where I’m all about sweater weather. Oh, thank goodness.
Apparently for a lot of people, fall is a favorite season. There’s good reason for it here in the northeast. Sitting in the foothills of the Adirondacks, the hillsides surrounding us turn brilliant shades of red, orange, yellow and deep green that literally look like something out of a postcard. The harvests are typically plentiful and this year we did a fabulous job with our garden. Not to be outdone, mowing slows down. Before you ridicule that idea, know that with nearly two acres of lawn to mow, it takes 4-5 hours a session. In early summer, I’m mowing twice a week. In fall, I mow once every two weeks. It’s literally like finding time.
But more than all of these benefits, I personally love our little traditions. When we “fall back” on November 1st, my home planetarium gets plugged in and set up for fall and winter. Every night when the work day is done and dinner is prepped, I meander upstairs – sometimes with a glass of wine – and turn on the night sky above our bed. Then, I just lay there and try to be in the moment and find peace. Honestly, I’ve tried doing it at other times of the year and it doesn’t work. It’s only fall and winter that it works but it’s nothing short of spectacular.
I also love that my husband and I do a harvest meal for everyone, even if we’re not home for Thanksgiving. It’s become a nice tradition to cook from our garden, get out the good dinnerware and enjoy a bit of a celebratory toast.
I love that we buy a bottle of Beaujolais Nouveau to celebrate the harvest season and typically drink it in front of either a campfire (if it’s warm enough) or an indoor fire if its cold and frosty.
I love that I take a warm day in November and get the holiday lights strung on the porches. I love that my husband and I return to cooking dinner together with music and a little dancing in the kitchen. I love that I do jigsaw puzzles and we find an indoor project to do that will give us a little satisfaction without any time pressure.
I love the conversations, the kitty snuggles, the act of putting flannel sheets and a heavy duvet on the beds… I love it all.
I feel like fall is so special for many people because it is the one part of our lives that is truly rooted in tradition, routine and the comfort that comes with both. When I was sitting in JFK last night waiting for my slightly delayed flight to bring me home, that holiday feeling hit me.
Now? I’m picking out a sweater, a pair of jeans and headed to my favorite home decorating store.
Bring it on, fall! It’s sweather weather. 😊
