Lingering in the In-Between

An ode to stillness, simplicity, and the soft fading of fall before the rush of the holidays.

Are you caught in that quiet space between Hallowe’en and Christmas? The pumpkins are still glowing on the porch, yet holiday music is starting to echo from every corner. It’s November 5, and I can feel myself being pulled in two directions. Do I hold on to autumn a little longer, or start welcoming winter in?

Here in Southwestern Ontario, the leaves are still vibrant and the air carries that perfect crispness that only November brings. It’s still very much autumn, but there’s also that subtle pull toward the magic of the Christmas season. My inbox is already full of “Early Black Friday Deals,” and my feed is sparkling with holiday inspiration. And don’t get me wrong… As an e-commerce business, I’m preparing for the same festive excitement. But personally, I’m not quite ready to rush there just yet.

Maybe we don’t need to have both feet planted in one season or the other. Maybe we can linger in the in-between...

I think as I get older, this gentle resistance to rushing feels more meaningful. Time seems to move so much faster now. As a child, a season felt endless; now it feels like I blink and it’s gone. Maybe savouring the in-between is my way of slowing things down… Of holding on to each fleeting moment before it slips quietly into the next.

Lately, I’ve been finding small ways to savour this season. My pumpkins are still on the porch, though by the weekend, they’ll likely be dropped off at a nearby farm to feed the animals. I’m baking pumpkin loaf and muffins, adding cinnamon to anything that will take it, and sipping warm apple cider. The air smells like fallen leaves and woodsmoke, and every walk feels like a reminder to pause. There’s still beauty to be found here… The final harvest, long autumn walks, and afternoons spent tidying the garden, tucking everything in for its long winter nap. 

The Christmas season will be here before we know it, so for now, perhaps it’s enough to let a few quiet hints of winter magic in. A Christmas mug in the cupboard, a festive essential oil (Hearth Mirth from Living Libations is my go-to!) the scent alone makes the space feel festive. Maybe even a few twinkle lights and more candle light to bring warmth to the darker evenings. A cozy new throw pillow on the couch adds a hint of the season and I’ve been adding a pinch of Jasmine Green tea to my morning black tea, a little tradition my sister and I love for that subtle, floral lift.

Before long, the snow will fly, Jack Frost will arrive, and we’ll be fully wrapped up in the Christmas season. But for now, I’m lingering here… Between pumpkins and holly… Soaking in every bit of this beautiful in-between.