Finding Gezellig in the November In-Between
November has a peculiar energy, doesn't it?
We're still recovering from the whirlwind of October with all of the must-do fall events, the costume preparations, the sugar crashes, yet we're already being pulled forward into the glittering vortex of the holiday season. The stores have been dressed in tinsel since Halloween. Social media is screaming at us about tablescapes and gift guides. And somewhere in the back of our minds, a little voice is starting to panic about the merry season.
In this strange space, we are neither fully present in November nor ready to leap into our winter celebrations. Our homes still have pumpkins on the porch that we haven't gotten around to clearing away, and the Thanksgiving menu is half-planned in our heads. And those boxes of holiday decorations? They're staring at us from storage, waiting to find their time to shine.
It's exhausting, this in-between.
The Tyranny of the Seasonal Transition
Here's what nobody tells you about November: it's a month that demands both reflection and preparation, rest and action. We're supposed to be grateful and contemplative as we approach Thanksgiving, but we're also supposed to be planning, shopping, decorating, and hosting. The cultural narrative tells us to “slow down” or “savor the season” while simultaneously insisting we rev up for the most wonderful time of the year. “Get it before it’s gone!”
No wonder we feel overwhelmed.
Our calendars, still packed with fall sports, school performances, and work deadlines, are now seeing the addition of holiday parties, cookie exchanges, and shopping trips. We're running on fumes when someone reminds us that the last few months on the calendar aren’t a 10k, they are a triathlon!
Permission to Pause
But what if we didn't rush* through the last precious moments of November trying to get to December?
What if, instead of immediately swapping out every pumpkin for a pine cone and stringing up the lights the day after Thanksgiving, we gave ourselves permission to simply be present in the moment? To exist in this quieter, darker month without immediately filling it with the next big thing?
This is where the concept of gezellig becomes our November sanctuary.
Gezellig isn't about the perfect aesthetic or the most impressive display. It's not about having your home "holiday ready" by some arbitrary deadline. It's about creating warmth and contentment exactly where you are, with what you have, in this very moment.
*Just to be clear, I’m offering permission to pause. There is no shame in embracing the holiday season before Thanksgiving. So put up that tree, string up the lights, and listen to Harry Connick Jr. on repeat when you and you alone are ready, but not a moment before.
Embracing the November Middle Ground
Here's what gezellig in November might actually look like:
Leaving the fall decor up a little longer because you're not quite done with that chapter yet. Those muted oranges and burgundies, the dried hydrangeas, the cozy throws—they're still bringing you joy. There's no rule that says you must transition your entire home the moment the calendar flips.
Lighting candles in the evening or add a string of twinkle lights to the fireplace mantel not because they're seasonal or festive, but because the darkness comes so early now and you need that gentle glow.
Saying no to some of the things that would pack your calendar even tighter. Not every holiday event needs your attendance. Not every tradition needs to be upheld. Some years, less is the gift you give yourself.
Making simple, nourishing meals instead of elaborate spreads. A pot of soup simmering on the stove is gezellig. Takeout pizza on the couch after a long week is gezellig. Feeding yourself and your people with minimum stress and maximum comfort—that's gezellig!
The Holiday Decor Will Wait
I know the pressure is real. I start decorating homes for clients in the first week of November. I understand the desire to create magic for your family, make memories, and capture that feeling of warmth and celebration.
But here's a secret: the holiday decor can wait.
Your home doesn't need to transform overnight. When I am hanging garland and decorating tress for clients, the last thing I want to do is decorate my own home. When it comes to my decorating timeline, I bring out the decorations slowly, piece by piece, as I have the energy and the inclination. Trust me when I say that you can decide that you're only decorating the spaces you actually use and live in this year. The rest can stay in storage.
A Different Kind of Preparation
Here’s another crazy idea: instead of rushing to prepare your home for the holidays during this last week of November, what if you focus on preparing yourself?
What if this short work week was for:
Building up your reserves of rest and energy
Deciding what matters most to you this season
Letting go of expectations that no longer serve you
Creating small rituals that bring genuine comfort
Being honest about what you can and cannot do
This is the deeper work of creating a gezellig home. It's not about the surface decorations. It is about cultivating an internal sense of ease and contentment that radiates outward into your space.
The holiday season will come whether we're ready or not. But in this last week of November we can pause long enough to relish the calm before the storm.
So light a candle, wrap yourself in a blanket and let the to-do list wait just a little longer.
That's gezellig.
That's enough.
That's everything.