November seems to come around too quickly. Shorter days are filled with more hustle than we generally have the energy for, and the second we catch up with all the loose ends that remain from our lazy summer days, we begin in earnest on preparing for the party season. But with these shorter, busier days come remembrance, celebration and festive gatherings to keep us cheerful and full of anticipation for the winter season ahead that make all those frantic days worth while.
This is our first November in the US, and the house is abuzz with excitement for extended family gatherings, new traditions to adopt, and blossoming relationships to nurture. For me, the start of November finds me musing over gift-wrap ideas, finishing off my Christmas shopping, stocking the bar, and baking up a storm. This November I will be:
Playing Games: November hosts the (US) National board game week from 21 November to 27 November, and this year we are dusting off some old family favourites like Scrabble, Parcheesi, Go, Cribbage, Backgammon, Charades and Trivial Pursuit. Our Charades collection has not been touched in years, and this November I will be updating the contents while also surfing the web for the highest 2 letter words I can find (anyone want to be on my team?).
Writing letters to Santa: We have a tradition in our home, the first Saturday of December we put letters to Santa in our boots by the back door. When we visit them in the morning, they are either filled with coal and the letter (which means you better get your act together quick), or a bounty of sweets letting you know that you have been sweet all year. Writing Santa letters is a big deal in our house, and can take hours, if not days to complete. So we start early.
Getting the Guest Room Ready: The next few weeks I will be stocking up on glossy magazines, visiting my local library and second hand book shops, ironing my linens and making my signature chocolates. My guest rooms are booked, and I have so much to get ready in time for my guests to arrive. For more inspiration on how to pamper your house guests, click here.
Drinking Responsibly: Sadly, the merriment and cheer of the coming weeks will lead to the loss of someone’s mother, sister, wife, daughter, brother, son, husband, father or friend. As much as I try to look on the whimsical side of life, this topic requires the highest level of respect. Please support the MADD awareness campaign this month and make sure that you and your loved one’s have a list of local cab companies on hand, even better, ensure they have a designated driver (after all, life is more fun when you are chauffeured around town).
Avoiding Silence: Inspired by the Better Conversation Week, 22 November to 28 November, we are making some changes to our dinner table. Some families are cursed with white elephants lurking in the room when they sit down for a big family meal, others pick up the conversation from where it left off last year, and then you have those quite, tranquil tables that need a firecracker to get the conversation going. Lucky for us, there are no elephants, remains of last years conversation, or the tranquility of a quiet meal…we tend to have way too many conversations going, and if you are sitting in the middle you might find yourself dizzy from the volume. This year, we are introducing ‘if…’ topics to keep the conversation going, and everyone engaged in the same topic.
Running an hour late or is it early: Daylight Savings goes down like cold sick in our house because I can never remember if we are losing an hour, or gaining an hour, and find myself running an hour late or early all day long. On 7 November (at 2:00am) our clocks will work their magic, pushing the day back an hour. Maybe this year I will get it right?
Buying fresh Pomegranate: I adore pomegranate for its texture, colour, flavour and versatility. This ancient fruit graced the pages of Homer and Shakespeare but has failed to capture the palate of North Americans. I sprinkle it in my fruit salads because the children love the ‘bite’ and I love the nutritional value it brings.
It is a signature of my favourite roast vegetable salad, and….. is so simple to make I am confident it will be a signature dish of yours as well:
- Par boil carrots, sweet potatoes, potatoes and squash.
- Once softened, mix the root vegetables with olive oil, saffron, salt and pepper.
- Cut Spanish onions in half and wrap in bacon strips. Cut garlic cloves in half.
- Mix together then place in a baking try and bake until crispy.
- 15 minutes before the baking is complete, sprinkle with pomegranate seeds.
