In Praise of November: Fun Family Things to Do Together This Month
November gets a bad rap. It can be dismissed as a dreary, grey month in which nothing happens. But that really doesn’t have to be the way to view it. Now that Halloween has come and gone, we’re all about focusing on the joy that the holidays can bring, and there’s no reason why we can’t start it this month. Here are some easy ways to enjoy and celebrate November.
Take advantage of no plans
Between labour-intensive back to school season, Thanksgiving, Halloween and December holidays, it’s busy. But November is a great time to enjoy the downtime. Bundle up and take a family hike. Get takeout from your favourite place, just because. Watch a marathon of movies in your pjs. Read a new book. The options for enjoying an unscheduled month are endless.
Play hooky
Give yourself and the kids a break and take the day off and do something together. Take advantage of the off-peak hours to go shopping when it’s not crowded. Make something together. Go skating or biking. Revel in the newness of being together on a school/work day.
Get a head start
Baking holiday cookies is way more fun when you’re not rushed. Find some recipes that freeze well (as most cookies do) and do some batch baking with the kids. Have a cookie tasting and allow everyone to take notes on each variety made and proclaim their favourites. It’s fun to be interactive when you’re not trying to cram five hours of baking into two hours when you’d rather be sleeping.
Decorate for the holidays early
Why not make the most of the last few months of 2020 by enjoying the heck out of the holidays? Who says we need to wait until December to decorate? Put up the tree, deck the halls, grab the music, shop and wrap and bake and do everything else that brings you and your family joy. You deserve it after this year.
Enjoy shopping
I absolutely adore shopping for gifts for people – but only because I do it in November. I take my time to browse online and am able to make purchases calmly, whether material or experiential, that I think work for people. I enjoy it and I don’t overspend because I’m frantic. I can even involve the kids in a shopping expedition if we avoid malls and stores in December and instead visit them in November.
Get outside
Sure, the fall foliage may be past its peak or gone, but November weather can be quite lovely! Blizzards and icy weather haven’t usually descended yet, there are no bugs, and it can be a great time to go for a hike, bike or zip line. You’ll see the landscape in a different way and get in some heart-healthy exercise before (and after) the calorie bombs of the months that sandwich November.
November is a fantastic time to enjoy the relative peace and quiet. You may even find yourself creating some new family traditions to make it one of your favourite months of the year.
