For many people Halloween marks the unofficial end of autumn and they start getting into the Christmas mood from November 1. I don’t really understand why everyone keeps rushing life, always looking forward to sth else, instead of enjoying what they have right now. I’ve seen so many people talking about their excitement for autumn since July, but once it actually arrives, they switch to the next season without enjoying their long-awaited autumn properly.

And it seems a little unfair to me, especially in the recent years, as I’ve changed my perspective on this month, finally seeing its true beauty. Now I understand that November has actually more autumnal vibes than its predecessors, at least in warmer countries like Armenia. It’s the period when the temperature finally drops, allowing us to wear those lovely thick sweaters, boots and coats, and get extra-warm at home; when we get more rainy and foggy weather, which brings a mysterious but also cozy mood; when the majority of the trees finally change their colors, filling the world with all the possible shades of yellow, orange and green.

In a nutshell – November is very much an autumnal month and people need to acknowledge it more, giving the recognition it deserves. So, for this post I decided to write a list of simple yet atmospheric things that will allow you to embrace autumn in its last month and savor it thoroughly.

Bubble bath

This is one of my favorite cold-season activities, that allows me to fully relax, enjoy the evening and enjoy the season. Especially when I hang some warm fairy lights in the bathroom (you can choose candles instead, but be careful with them), put on either my favorite autumnal playlist or “Harry Potter” soundtracks, and use aromatic sea-salt, bath-bombs and bubbles. It’s so nice getting detached from the world, wind down and recharge. And how pleasant it is – getting out of the bath, putting on new pajamas, getting into the freshly made bed and spending the rest of the evening with a nice book or a movie.

Pumpkin baking

I’ve always said that cooking and baking somehow seem more appealing in colder seasons, as they fill the place with the nicest smells, making it feel warmer and more comfy. If you want to feel the autumn vibes, you should add some pumpkins to your kitchen. Bake a pumpkin bread or cupcakes, make a pumpkin soup. You’ll definitely feel that autumn isn’t leaving anytime soon.

Bonfire

This is actually one of the things I want to do this year as well – have a bonfire evening, roast some marshmallows and make s’mores. Maybe even grill some potatoes and sausage and enjoy a lovely dinner outside. You can invite some friends or relatives over, play guitar and sing, tell scary stories (who said those are only for Halloween?) or maybe reminisce about your fun memories. This is one of those days you’ll definitely remember for a long time and will want to make it into an annual tradition.

Walk in a park

As the weather gets colder, people avoid going out for long walks which is a pity, as the nature looks at its best in this period. You’ll walk on the crunchy leaves, which is weirdly relaxing, meet some brightly colorful trees, naked ones, who have long said goodbye to their leaves, and even some green ones that haven’t transformed yet. Seeing the heavenly autumnal sceneries will make it hard to think about Christmas. Especially if you decide to put on your wellies and raincoat and go out on a rainy or misty adventures.

Thanksgiving dinner

I know, I know: Thanksgiving is only celebrated in the USA and Canada, and it has a very controversial background. But as I’ve said it many times before, I really love the idea of having a special day dedicated to gratitude. A day when you can gather your closest people around, enjoy a nice autumnal meal and express your thanks to each other. It’s a very wholesome tradition that can become an important ritual of your family, even if your country doesn’t celebrate this holiday. Plus, it’s a great opportunity to rewatch all the Thanksgiving series from “Friends”, as they’re among the coziest episodes of the show.

Dark novel

I don’t know about you, but I strongly associate dark novels with autumn. Probably because I reckon it to be the most mysterious season, so reading sth spooky or peculiar in this period seems only right. By “dark” I mean a wide variety of genres – detectives, dark academia stories, gothic novels, fantasy. Pick a book in one of these categories to read it on those cold November evenings, when the wind howls so loud you can hear it from inside. Make yourself a warm drink, get wrapped in a huge and cozy blanket and get ready to transfer to another dimension with the most fascinating story awaiting you.