A note on Novent

(Please just bear with me)

There are two types of people in the world: me, and my mother. Kidding, but really though, there are two types of people when it comes to winter decorations. No, not Christmas decorations (in November — are you nuts?). But winter decorations. The stuff you put out when you’re done with the pumpkins and the red leaves. Unless you’re American doing some Thanksgiving thing. You people confuse me.

Now there are probably some people who at this point are thinking “if she starts talking about putting up Christmas decorations in November then I am getting the f*ck out of here”. I was just broken up with, give me a break! Let me have something that *sparks joy*.

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In Sweden (Stockholm?) there’s been a growing trend for a couple of years around something named Novent. In Sweden, we celebrate each advent Sunday up until Christmas by lighting a candle and having a fika or taking a family walk or whatever. But that has to do with Christmas again. What I’m talking about is Novent, the welcoming of the colder winter season ahead of us. If December is gold and red and green and sparkle and velvet and chocolate and “glögg”", then November/Novent is silver and grayish blue and silk and patina and olives and citrus and amaretto sour.

Am I just heartbroken and delusional? Maybe.

So, where to get started? Well I won’t be getting anything started seeing as I’m probably moving out and who wants to buy flowers for an apartment they won’t be living in. But for anyone who’s still happily getting on with their life, this is for you.

Okay listen, I’m just going to come right out and say it. You’re going to need candles. Like, lots of candles. Most of your budget from now on until Easter will be going to buttery yellow candles. I don’t make the rules. But just look at them! They’re so creamy and sophisticated and warm and classic. Last year was probably the height of the ribbon-craze, but they’re still going strong in my book. Dress up your candlesticks with grapes or dried berries, tie a ribbon around it all and voila. Novent.

Don’t invite me to anything unless you’re serving snacks on silver trays. Nuts on silver. Olives on silver. Cherries on silver. Heck, give me sour cream and onion on silver. Just give me all the silver you’ve got. I want to feel like I’m visiting Buckingham Palace. Oh and cocktail glasses. I’m going to need a lot of drinks if I’m getting through this winter and I would like them served in glasses that are really hard to balance and/orr drink out of. Please and thank you.

Lastly, it’s all in the details. I’ll be shining my silver ware before I pack it up in a moving box and making little foiled wreaths to hang myself with.

Oh and if you have kids you can make cute little toilet paper roll rockets like these. I don’t have kids so I won’t. But you could.

Happy November!!!!