It’s here! I know we shouldn’t wish the year away, but… autumn! I can already feel my energy levels rising, and the world just feels more ‘right’. The -ber months are my favourites by far, but in this post, I’m focusing on the first -ber. So, one reason for every day of this beautiful month – here are just 30 of the reasons I love September.

1. It signals the start of the best third of the year

I honestly feel like a different person when autumn hits. Summer drains me – I’ve never been one to enjoy sunbathing or basking in the heat, so this time of year is when I really hit my stride. 1st September through to 31st December is BY FAR the most magical part of the year, being simultaneously serene and exciting, and every fibre of my being is happy that it’s finally here!

2. Autumnal baking

The Pioneer Woman is one of my favourite cooking shows, and I recently saw an episode where she makes pumpkin cinnamon rolls. I’m DEFINITELY making these as a twist on my normal cinnamon rolls this year, and I also want to take advantage of the glut of wild blackberries in Sussex this year by baking a blackberry pie. I’ll also be whipping up a loaf or 14 of banana bread, maybe this time with additions like peanut butter, chopped nuts or chocolate chips. Is it tragic that I’m already excited?

3. Back to school

OK, so I left school 10 years ago (!), but I still totally get those back-to-school vibes. As a nod to the new school year (I weirdly miss the fresh uniform and stationery and writing out my timetable in my new planner), I’m learning a new skill this September. I bought some tarot cards and a beginner’s guide on a whim, and I’m already having a great time learning the cards, the meanings, the imagery and the spreads. I’ll keep you posted on my progress!

4. Read A New Book Month

September is Read A New Book Month, and you really don’t need to tell me twice… books I want to read this month include Notes on a Nervous Planet by Matt Haig (if you haven’t already read his book Reasons To Stay Alive I can’t recommend it highly enough), and The Keeper of Lost Things by Ruth Hogan has also caught my eye. If you have any recommendations I’d love to hear them!

5. Coats and boots

This summer, I bought the same floaty bardot dress in four different colours in an attempt to cope with the British heatwave. I hate feeling sticky and uncomfortable, so the cooler weather is a real blessing. I’ve been wearing a jacket to work, I’m back in boots and I’M LOVING IT.

6. Pumpkin Spice Latte returns!

Basic bitches everywhere rejoice – it’s Pumpkin Spice Latte season! This year it returns to the UK on 6th September, and I’m totally ready. I’m not a big coffee drinker, but I like a nice espresso martini, iced coffee or a PSL, so I for one am delighted to get my pumpkin spice fix. And this year, the spice mix has gone vegan, so everyone can enjoy it – hooray!

7. Weekends away

Now we’re out of the summer holidays, it’s time to take advantage of the cheaper off-peak prices for little trips away. Next weekend I’m off to the Cotswolds for a couple of days with my gal pals. We’re going to stay in a converted barn, eat cheese, drink wine and have a nice chilled time together. It might be a little bit early for any autumnal landscapes just yet, but I’m anticipating some serious hygge.

8. A new skincare regime

As the weather cools down, our skincare regimes should change to reflect this. Cold air can leave skin dry and tight, so we need to go for slightly heavier moisturisers and lovely luxe face masks. I’m a huge Glossier fan (you’ll get 10% off if you use this link), especially the Priming Moisturiser, the masks and the Solution exfoliator as part of a relaxed self-care evening routine. It’s really done my skin the world of good, and no matter how many other brands I try, I always come back to Glossier.

9. Birthdays, birthdays, birthdays

Did you know that September is the most popular birthday month? In the US, the most common birthday is 9th September, in the UK it’s 26th September (nine months after Boxing Day! That’s a whole lot of Christmas miracles!) and in New Zealand it’s 30th September. If you know of any soon-to-be September babies, why not consider sending a newborn baby hamper to welcome them to the world? Prestige Hampers have a great selection of new baby baskets packed with gifts to help you celebrate the new arrival. This one has a cute toy (penguins are my favourite animal!), a bunny blanket, little knitted shoes, a babygro, a hat, mittens, a really clever pop-up card and a balloon. It’s so sweet, and the perfect present for any imminent September babies. Adorable!

10. New films

The school summer holidays aren’t great for films, so I’m looking forward to heading to the cinema to take advantage of my Picturehouse membership and watch some new films this autumn. Also I feel much less guilty about spending time in a dark cinema when it’s not brilliant sunshine outside, so I expect I’ll be spending a fair bit of time there this September…

11. All hail loungewear

Anyone who knows me knows all about my obsession with leisurewear. We’re talking tracksuit bottoms, big slouchy jumpers and, yes, the infamous cosy socks from all the typical ‘hygge photos’. This summer has been way too hot for any of that, but now I can wear two layers without sweating profusely, I’m going to take full advantage of shuffling around the flat in my snug loungewear.

12. Quiet Day

12th September is Quiet Day, and it’s all about removing ourselves from the noise of everyday life and enjoying the serenity. This fits beautifully with hygge – you can either take advantage of the mid-September weather and go for a leisurely hyggeligt stroll through the park or the woods, or just shut the world out and spend some time reading your new book on the sofa in peaceful solitude.

13. Cool, crisp mornings…

This morning I was delighted to feel a very slight nip in the air when I got out of bed. We still have clear blue skies, but these single-digit morning temperatures are a great way to ease us into the months to come…

14. … and dark cosy nights

We all know I’m far from a party animal, but there is nothing I love more than getting home from work, drawing the curtains, lighting a candle or two and sliding under a blanket for the evening. It’s just so much easier to sleep when you have those extra hours of darkness before bedtime, and nothing beats September’s scorched sunset skies. This is my absolute favourite type of hygge, and I’m so glad it’s back in my life for the coming months.

15. Dark nails

I know it sounds silly, but I really like returning to my dark, vampy nails in autumn. After a summer spent repping baby pinks and metallics, I’m going back to my roots with Chanel’s Velvet Nail Colour in Profondeur because I love the deep wine red and the matte finish.

16. Rain

God I’ve missed rain! I love petrichor, I love falling asleep to rain crashing on my window, I love Sunday mornings munching on a croissant and watching Gilmore Girls while it’s chucking it down outside. I’ve never owned an umbrella because I like to connect with the weather – a bit of rain is nothing to be scared of, and my hair never looks neat enough for that to stop me from getting drenched.

17. Dark hair, don’t care

Speaking of hair, every September for the last five or six years I’ve dyed my hair back to my natural dark brown. I sometimes lighten it in summer, but it usually ends up a bit sunbleached anyway, so I like to mark the new season by darkening things down again. I can’t wait to go back to my deep dark chocolate brown, ready for the spookiest of all the seasons.

18. Autumn scents

As we all know, I’m a big perfume fan, so I always enjoy switching my scents each season. I’ll be back on Mimosa & Cardamom and Blackberry & Bay by Jo Malone during the day and YSL’s Black Opium at night. I also switch up my home fragrances, and I’ve already spritzed The White Company’s Autumn room spray over my autumnal throws and cushions so that the scent lingers in the room.

19. Pumpkins aplenty

Every year I like to decorate my home with little munchkin pumpkins, but this year I’ve decided to do things a bit differently. My local Homesense is a treasure trove of all things autumnal, so I picked up a couple of little ceramic pumpkins that I’ll bring out on 1st September year after year to be enjoyed throughout the season.

20. Conkers, reveal yourselves

It’s finally conker season again! My ultimate outdoor hygge is spending an afternoon at my local park rummaging through the leaves for the fattest, shiniest conkers. I’ve spoken about my love of conkers a lot already, so I won’t bore you with the details again, but conker hunting is my ultimate September activity every year.

21. Rewatching comforting TV shows

Ah, Netflix. It puts literally thousands of shows at our fingertips, including lots of trusty favourites. I’ll definitely be rewatching Gilmore Girls for its New England fall vibes, along with British sitcoms like Friday Night Dinner, The Office and I’m Alan Partridge for easy evening watching. Also if anyone knows how on earth I can watch Parks & Recreation, please tell me!

22. Autumn leaves

I’m jetting off to Boston on 22nd September this year, and we’ve booked a leaf peeping tour for our first full day there. We’ll drive through Massachusetts up into New Hampshire to look at the changing leaves, and stop off at orchards and farmsteads along the way. I CANNOT WAIT to explore beautiful New England at my favourite time of year, and I equally can’t wait to share all my photos with you when I’m back!

23. Autumnal Equinox

While I follow the meteorological seasons, making 1st September the first day of autumn, this year’s Autumnal Equinox falls on 23rd September in the northern hemisphere. This marks the astrological start of autumn (as the Summer and Winter Solstices marks the astrological start of summer and winter). I mean, I’m certainly not going to complain about celebrating twice…

24. Harvest Festival

Harvest Festival falls towards the end of September or in early October in the UK, and it celebrates the end of the productive farming year and the harvest season. For many Brits, Harvest Festival will bring about memories of school assemblies, harvest songs and food collections, so this year I’ll be doing my own grown-up version by donating a box to my local food bank (no singing required).

25. Harvest Moon

In the UK, the Harvest Moon will occur on 25th September 2018. It’s the full moon closest to the Autumn Equinox, and it gets its name because traditionally, farmers could continue their harvest late into the night by the light of the full moon. Incidentally, Harvest Moon is also one of my favourite video games, where you play as a farmer and grow your farm from nothing. It’s incredibly soothing, and a perfect game for autumn!

26. Dinner parties

Yaaaaay! Even I, Brighton’s original antisocialite, can be coaxed out of my cave for a dinner party. I love the intimacy, the sharing of scandalous anecdotes you just couldn’t speak about in public, the wine, the snacks, the food placed on the middle of the table in great steaming pots with plates being passed out… it doesn’t need to be fancy, and generally I prefer it when it’s not. Mismatched chairs, candles burnt down to stubs, whatever wine has a nice label from the local off-licence… you just can’t beat it.

27. Let’s get arty

A new Hobbycraft has opened in Brighton, and I think I was a bit delirious throughout my entire first visit. I picked up a little sketchbook and some paints, and I can’t wait to play around with some colours when I have an evening to spare. I’m thinking I might start with some plants, but we’ll see how the mood takes me…

28. Salted caramel

Yes, this is just a shout out to salted caramel, which for some reason only seems to become an acceptable flavour in autumn. I especially love it in brownies, but I won’t really say no to it anywhere. You go salted caramel!

29. Beach nights

As a Brighton girl, I love it when the beach crowds thin out once summer is over. September is usually still warm enough to spend a pleasant evening watching the sun go down, and when the sea breeze starts to get a bit chilly, it’s just a great excuse to pull on a chunky jumper. As always, the best hygge is totally free, and this needn’t cost you a penny.

30. It’s beginning to look a lot like…

I unashamedly love Christmas, and I always get a little flicker of excitement when the festive items start creeping into the shops. The big tins of chocolates, the twinkly lights, the sequins… some people say September is too early, I say bah hambug to that! It’s still a few months off, but there’s nothing wrong with sneaking a little slice of yule log now is there…?

What are your September plans? Are you sad to see the back of summer, or are you totally ready for cooler air, falling leaves and bonfires? Let me know!

This post contains a PR sample from Prestige Hampers