3 Women from 3 Cities Share Their Homey Fall Traditions
Art Direction and Photograph by: Catie Menke. Model: Tishana Richards.
Copy by: Britnee Tanner
Model: Tishana Richards
Editor: Jeni Fjelstad
Creative Direction by: Catie Menke
They’re a constant witness to the ups and downs and the special moments and, of course, the holidays that we celebrate in them.
And I can’t help but feel that after last year, we all must have an even greater appreciation for being able to connect with those we love most in our homes.
This month I had the pleasure of interviewing three different women from three different cities about how they give thanks and celebrate during the month of November. And while they all shared various ideas, the one red thread in all of their anecdotes was consistently the people in their lives with whom they are nearest and dearest.
Q: What do you love about November?
A: It feels like I must have had some say in being born in November because it’s my favorite month. The skeletons have been put away, but the leaves and pumpkins are still abundant. It feels calm. There’s nothing on the agenda but family and food — nothing crowding out the important things. It’s nice to have some stillness before the bustle of December.
Q: Do you and your family do anything special this time of year?
A: We like to do puzzles, pull out the cozy jammies, and now that we live in Seattle, drive around in the rain and drink in the fall colors. Since we spend more time at home, we also find ourselves baking more. Banana bread is very popular at our house.
Q: What do you love about your home during the holidays?
A: I LOVE styling my home seasonally. I love that I can create the experience myself and others have in my home. The decor pieces, scents, activities and foods in my home matter to me. I love choosing them. I love that my home feels safe, clean (well, at least after bedtime) and festive all at the same time. It feels so calm and so me. Especially around the holidays, I just love to be here.
Q: How do you typically celebrate Thanksgiving?
A: Being a vegetarian for the last 13 years as well as not loving pie, really shifts Thanksgiving for me. It's not about a meal but about the people and the atmosphere. We love the tradition of writing down the things we are grateful for and displaying them somehow throughout the month. As a homeschooling mama, my kids and I use a gratitude journal every morning, but there is something special about having a central tangible reminder in the home of what we are blessed with.
Q: What do you love about November?
A: It is the beginning of all the magic! Living in Hawaii means no seasonal shifts, but you can already feel the magic in the air! Christmas music, extra kindness, strangers smiling, the world becomes more aware of one another, and we tend to look more closely at people and how to love them during these last few months of the year.
Q: How has your home created a place for you and your family to give thanks?
A: We have literally lived in so many different spaces. A small older house with no room to grow, a brand new build that we designed, and currently, a damaged home that we've poured some sweat and love into with small renovations. It truly doesn't matter the size, shape, or cost of the home, we have been able to find joy and create calm in each one. So, rather than our home creating a place for us to give thanks, we have created homes out of walls and roofs fueled by our gratitude.
Q: Do you and your family do anything special this time of year?
A: Here in Mesa, Arizona the leaves don’t change color until late December, so one of our favorite things to do is to escape a few hours north to see the fall leaves.
Q: What do you love about November?
A: I love the cool nights and mornings in November. I also love dressing my house for the holidays and playing to all the senses with deep, rich colors, classic playlists, treats with cinnamon and pumpkin, and of course, candles.
Q: How has your home created a place for you and your family to give thanks?
A: In 2020 we moved into a new home. It is a home built in the 1980s, well cared for, but dated. We haven’t been able to do a full renovation on it, but we have been able to chip away at it piece by piece. This slow renovation process has been a blessing because it has allowed us to slow down and appreciate its bones, space and flow. And even though our home won’t be completely finished for many years, we find ourselves often expressing how much we love our home... It is quickly becoming a place of gathering for neighbors and family and friends.
So no matter where you live or what your home looks like, I hope this post gives you some ideas for traditions and serves as a kind reminder that this month is the perfect time to give thanks for the people and things you hold dear.
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