November Favourites: Christmas & Country Slow Living Inspiration from The English Countryside

Middle of November... can you hear the Christmas bells ringing? The last week has felt more like Winter here on the Somerset Levels. The fields are brown and quiet, only disturbed by the chilly wind and migrating birds. The starlings are back for Winter and you can see their murmurations flying over fields and villages in the otherwise calm landscape.

But the human world is speeding up. The wave of orders in our shop is steadily rising until it reaches its peak in early December. So is my enthusiasm for preparing for Christmas. Early November is still Autumn, but now, in the middle of the month, I’m starting to get that urge to reset the house, clean and prepare not just for Christmas, but for a new season - Winter. By early December, my house will be fully decorated and all that will be left is planning food and choosing what we’re going to watch for our family movie night (Who am I kidding - obviously it’s going to be "Home Alone", followed by "Men in Tights" once Rosa goes to sleep).

November is the quiet month in between, when we move from one joy (Autumn) to another (Christmas), with a vision of the calm, peaceful weeks that follow. What’s not to love?

Below is a list of my favourite things this month that I think you might also find interesting or inspiring. Feel free to share in the comments anything that sparks joy in you this month and that you think other readers might love too!

1. The Last of Autumn, the First of Winter

Walks in nature are my absolute favourite right now. The darker and muddier it gets, the fewer people you meet on your walks - which is understandable, but if this post gets you out of the house, high five me! I’m a November girl who loves the gothic atmosphere of wintry woods and murky skies and I wish I could make people see nature through my eyes at this time of year.

The skeletal branches stretched out to the sky, the dead leaves dancing in the wind, the blood-red rose hips among bare hedges and the smell of damp earth... And that’s what makes home feel even better in Winter - the warmth of our tea, the soft glow of candles and lamps and the comfort of familiar corners.

2. Cranberry everything

November is the time when I slap cranberry sauce on everything - from burgers to roast dinners and even your ordinary peasant ham and cheese sandwich. It tastes like festivity on a spoon and I’ll be adding it to everything until Christmas :D

3. Rustic & vintage recipes

I mentioned Karen in my last post, but this time I want to recommend following her Instagram account Lavender & Lovage. She shares recipes that are often vintage, wonderfully rustic and inherently British -  including her own family recipes passed down through generations. I love that she also shares the sources! Thanks to her, I now own a copy of "New Farmhouse Fare" (and "Traditional Farmhouse Fare" is on its way to me in post) - a vintage cookbooks filled with recipes sent in by readers of "Farmers Weekly". I found it on eBay for peanuts.

Even if you’re not into cooking or baking, Karen lives in the cosiest cottage, full of beautiful china and often shares glimpses of it along with scenes from her part of the countryside, which I enjoy immensely. Karen’s Sunday tea tray posts always inspire me to try creating something like that myself!

I’m going to try this festive recipe next: Easy Mincemeat Cake.

4. Seasonal Ambiences

I always get requests to recommend music and ambiences. In November, I love to begin getting festive - with the stress on begin. Personally, it’s still too early for Michael Bublé, but gentle ambiences and music from another room feel perfectly right.

As I write this post, I have Peaceful Winter Night Ambience & Piano playing. When I want something slightly more festive, I like Christmas Music From Another Room. Lastly, when I don’t feel like listening to music at all but want gentle nature sounds instead, I go back to this video of a rainy forest - I’ve shared it with you before, but I think it’s very fitting now, as this is exactly how the woods look in mid-November.

Here’s my husband, excited to find HUGE candles! :D

5. Planning and shopping for Christmas decor

It’s going to be our first Christmas in our new house and I’m already on the hunt for decor! Although I’m very selective and don’t plan to fill every free space with festive bits, the new house has so many more spots that are just asking for a touch of decoration - like the fireplace mantel, bookshelf, or bedroom. I’ve already got new light curtains for the front window - I’ll show you once I hang them! But I’m also reusing decor from our old house, like the lights in the picture - they’ll be perfect for the double doors leading to the patio! 

Just a little reminder that we also stock some truly gorgeous Christmas pieces that pair beautifully with our candles - perfect for layering and adding warmth to your home. Take a look here.

6. Hot water bottles

If you read my blog, you’ll know that I love a hot water bottle and rarely begin writing without one pressed to my belly. I use them pretty much from September until April, and I’ve gone through so many over the years! I’m super excited to now be stocking two gorgeous styles in our shop. They both have a very country feel and will look lovely simply propped on a cushion or tucked into a basket with blankets when not in use. The covers can be easily removed and washed, too! Just perfect for warming up after a brisk walk or slipping under the duvet in the evening.

7. Anything olive green

I’ve been a beige girl for as long as I can remember and a sage green girl for the past two years or so, but lately, I can feel olive green coming. I’m not sure if it’s just the Christmas season or if it’ll linger into the New Year, but recently I’ve been craving a bit of colour in my home, in my own “safe” way - with shades of brown, burgundy and olive green. The last one is definitely the colour of November for me.

8. Fireplace on the budget

Oh dear, I’m not proud to admit that I’ve broken my own word... yet I regret nothing :) I’ve been saying ever since we moved in that I’d patiently wait for the real fireplace to be installed and wouldn’t get anything in the meantime... but the bioethanol fireplace fell into my basket on its own, I swear!

Honest opinion: obviously, it’s not as good as the real thing, but it’s lovely! The fire flickers in the background, making the room cosy and ready for Winter. Many reviews mentioned that it doesn’t produce much heat, which I’m perfectly fine with since we use central heating, but it actually gives off more warmth than I expected. When the fire is fully on, it makes the living room really toasty, so I’ve started leaving the outlet half-open to make the flame smaller - and it also makes the bioethanol fuel last twice as long. 

If you have no option to get the real thing and the fireplace is meant to be only a decorative piece for you, it’s definitely a nice option - I love mine and it definitely deserves a place on my November favourites list.

A few safety notes: the flue needs to be metal or cast iron - the plastic one might melt. Secondly, please remember it is a real fire and should be treated with caution, just like a normal fireplace (and candles!). Do not place it on carpet or near any fabrics such as curtains or cushions. I know you already know this, but still - I feel responsible to mention it.

9. Cosy pubs and tea rooms

There are two times of the year when eating out really feels special. One is Spring, when the weather improves and you get those Jane Austen vibes by having cream tea in a tea room garden. The second is now - when the weather gets colder (we’re supposed to get some really cold weather in the coming days down here in SW England). It feels extra special to enjoy a coffee or a meal in a cosy pub or tea room, as the wind blows outside and you’re warm and comfortable inside. Even better if you get some steps in nature before or after!

A few closing words

I hope this month’s list will come in useful, whether it’s for finding new recipes for the coming Christmas, gentle music for quiet days at home or, most importantly, a little inspiration to go out and appreciate November in nature. The commercial world wants to make this month all about shopping and spending and it’s perfectly fine to want to prepare your home and gifts early, but let’s not forget that nature is at the heart of it all. We ought to appreciate it and immerse ourselves in it first.

Sending you the warmest hugs
Adriana x