Hello!
Welcome to one of the most peaceful months of the year.
I realise many people find it easy to overlook November, and I get it. It has none of the Pumpkin Spice fun of October, or the festive excitement of December. It can seem like a rather dark, quiet month sandwiched between these two.
However, I don’t know about you, but right now a slow, quiet month with nothing much to do sounds pretty good to me. The last few months have been a lot. I could really use a rest.
Which is where November comes into its own.
Yes, days are short this month, but that means evenings are long and peaceful. There are crackling bonfires to look forward to, books to read and candles to light. There are owl calls at dusk and starling mumurations. There are ancient rituals to follow and cosy socks to wear. Christmas might be on the horizon but it’s not here yet. We still have time.
It all sounds rather nice when you put it like that doesn’t it.
So if you need to reframe the month of November (and most of us do), think of it as a quiet moment of rest before the noise and sparkle of December begins.
(That said, I realise there’s a big event happening in the US next week, but all the more reason to focus on looking after ourselves and being kind this month.)
So in this newsletter, we’ll be celebrating the ancient and peaceful festival of All Souls Day, baking Spiced Suffolk Cakes and looking to the skies for Starling Murmurations.
Who’s with me?
Things to love about November
1. Toffee apples and bonfires
Crunchy toffee apples, woodsmoke, dark starry skies and cold air; there’s something really special about bonfire celebrations in November. I’m not talking about fireworks here because I actually don’t like them if I’m totally honest. Too loud, too much fuss and disruption to wildlife. I prefer the quiet drift of woodsmoke and crackle of a garden bonfire instead. Plenty of opportunity for that this month.
2. Owls
Owls are deeply magical and a little spooky, and a dark November evening is the perfect time of year to hear them. I love Owls and judging by this recent post, a lot of you feel the same way. I really enjoyed all the comments on that post.
At this time of year in the UK you are most likely to hear Tawny Owls as you walk home at dusk, as this is the time of year when they start to look for a mate and establish territories. So listen out.
3. Slow Living
There are certain months that lend themselves beautifully to Slow Living. January is one, November is another.
As I said in my January post; when the nights draw in it’s the perfect time to embrace all things Hygge. Hygge is thought to derive from the Old Norse word meaning "protected from the outside world" so whatever helps you to do that is to be encouraged.
Lighting candles, reading real books, wearing only cosy clothes… Whatever you choose, just call it hygge and immediate changes from ‘slightly lazy’ to ‘wholesome and Scandinavian’.
Life will pick up pace soon enough, with December on the horizon, so make the most of this slow and quiet month of rest while you can.
Things to do in November
Feeling suitably November-y yet? I hope so. Right, here’s your list of things to do, see and eat this month:
1. Look up to the skies for Starling Murmurations
November marks the start of the murmuration season and watching a huge cloud of starlings swoop and turn together against a darkening sky seems fitting during the dark month of November. Take a look at this article for the best places in the UK to see them.
2. Honour ancestors on All Souls Day
As the colour melts out of the landscape and the days get darker, November has traditionally been a time for quiet reflection and mourning; a pause in the year before the festivities of December begin.
Remembering lost loved ones and ancestors on the 2nd November (All Souls Day) is an old practice that can also be found across several other cultures, such as the Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead) in Mexico. Candles are lit and loved ones are honoured and remembered.
The Ancient Celts also marked the start of ‘the dark half of the year’ on 1st November and they were thought to call on their ancestors on this day to ask for wisdom and guidance for the dark months ahead.
2. Celebrate St Edmund’s Day with a Suffolk Bun
St Edmund was the first ever Patron Saint of England (before St George) who unfortunately met a rather gruesome end at the hands of a Viking invader called Ivar the Boneless (the Vikings had all the best names).
To honour his death, the St Edmund Suffolk Bun was invented and they were baked each year on the day of his death, 20th November - St Edmunds Day. In fact they are still given out in churches and schools in Suffolk to this day. Want to make one? Here’s a recipe to try.
Ok, that’s all for now, I hope you enjoyed your November newsletter and I hope you have a restful month filled with starling murmurations, spiced buns and dark, starry skies.
I’ll see you next month for a December edition of the Monthly Notebook. We’ll be diving into Midwinter magic, Solstice traditions and Winter sun rituals. Look forward to seeing you there. If you haven’t already Subscribed then just click below to make sure that post arrives safely in your inbox.
Vicky x
I love November! I love October (and its colours) too, but for me October is an inhale whereas November is an exhale. Letting go of all stress.
Ooh I live near the Suffolk border. I must look out for that bun. Also I didn't realise hygge meant protected from the outside.