Autumn Rituals
The cooler weather is setting in and we are finding ourselves slowly shifting our daily routines. Here are some rituals and ideas to help you embrace the shorter, cooler days of the year.
Preparing a hot drink
There is something very soothing about cupping a ceramic mug full of a strong blend in your palms. Make the most of the process and slow down to enjoy it. Using organic and quality tea blends, as well as handmade ceramic mugs, can elevate this potentially mundane activity into something delightful and worth savouring. Perhaps consider a herbal or caffeine-free blend for the later afternoon or evening brew to help promote a restful night’s sleep.
Filling your hot water bottle
As you unwind after a busy and productive day, create cues and rituals that help you move into a more relaxed state. If you have young children in your home, boiling the kettle to refill your hot water bottle may also help signal that bedtime is drawing closer. The humble hot water bottle is a simple and energy-efficient way of staying warm in bed, especially with a wool cover to insulate it for longer. More than a wholesome practice, it also means sliding into a toasty-warm bed and what could be nicer than that on a cold evening?
Lighting a candle
Treat your senses to a candle with subtle, natural ingredients to create a gentle and soft atmosphere throughout your home. Dimming otherwise bright overhead lights in the evening and using lamps and candles transforms the mood of a room and promotes a calm and restful environment. Use this alongside a woodfire and you have the foundations for a perfect autumnal evening.
Collecting & stacking wood
For those with a wood burning fireplace, preparing the kindling and wood pile in the lead up to the winter months is akin to a winter ritual already. There is something primal and utterly satisfying about collecting kindling and stacking firewood on the front porch, ready to grab at a moment’s notice. If you are collecting the smaller sticks yourself, why not turn it into a family activity with the
kids or take a thermos with you for a mid-collection tea break.
kids or take a thermos with you for a mid-collection tea break.
We’ll have plenty more tips for you about preparing your fireplace for the winter season in the coming weeks but until then, make a point to slow down and take in the change of season.