🎃 Our Little Friday Letter (Friday, 31st October, 2025)

A weekly catch-up from Our Little House in the Country

🍂 Warm Welcome

Happy Friday, and Happy Halloween, my friend!
Thank you so much for being here — I’m so glad you’ve found your way to our little corner of the internet again this week. Can you believe it’s our final newsletter of October already? Where did this month go?

With the darker evenings drawing in and the colder mornings creeping up on us, there’s no denying that winter is on its way. But for now, we’re still savouring these cozy autumn days — and I’m so delighted to share this final October letter with you today.

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🏡 From Our Little House in the Country

It’s midterm break here this week, so things have felt a little different — a change of pace, for sure. No school runs, no rushing out the door in the dark, and no alarms (well, fewer alarms, anyway!). Just slower mornings, mugs of hot coffee, and the kind of peaceful pottering that only happens when the calendar clears a little.

We started the week with beautiful weather, which meant a few lovely long walks, but as the week’s gone on the skies have turned heavy and grey. As I sit here writing this, the rain has just begun to fall softly outside — the kind of day that calls for candles, slippers, and pastries warm from the air fryer. (Side note: if you haven’t tried Aldi’s frozen pastries, especially the chocolate hazelnut croissants and pecan pies, they are so good — and perfect after 20 minutes in the air fryer!)

The highlight of our week was definitely Monday night, when I attended my very first craft market in Drogheda as part of the Lú Festival of Light — and what a night it was. I was so nervous beforehand, but I had set myself the challenge of showing up, putting my little business out there, and giving it a go… and I’m so, so glad I did.

It turned out to be a really lovely and surprisingly successful evening — we chatted to so many gorgeous people, made more sales than I ever expected, and just had a lot of fun. My daughter helped me with everything, and while we were both completely shattered by the time we got home, I was so proud of us. We’ve a few more markets lined up between now and Christmas, and I’m already looking forward to them.

Honestly, I’ve always imagined this little candle and creative business living quietly online — but I knew that if I really wanted to get our name out there, I’d have to step into the real world too. And while that might be the most intimidating part, it’s also been the most rewarding so far.

Aside from that, we’ve made the most of this week with little treats — a breakfast out here, a dinner there, and lots of slow, simple days at home. No big Halloween plans this year — and I actually didn’t decorate at all, which is quite unlike me. Normally I’d have the porch, the table, the mantle all dressed up for spooky season, but this year, nobody was really feeling it — and I’ve been loving my rich, warm autumn decor too much to change it. So we decided to skip Halloween decor this year, and just enjoy the restful, cozy beauty of autumn for a little longer.

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❄️ Theme of the Week: Wintering Well

As we step into November, the clocks have changed, the evenings arrive earlier, and there’s a chill in the air that wasn’t there just a few weeks ago. And with it comes a quiet invitation — to slow down, to settle in, and to begin the gentle practice of wintering.

Wintering doesn’t always come naturally. We resist the dark, we long for the light, and we can easily fall into a pattern of wishing it all away — waiting for spring to return, for Christmas to arrive, for “things to get back to normal.” But what if we didn’t fight it? What if, instead of rushing through this season, we chose to lean into it?

This week I released our How to Winter Well calendar — a collection of small, meaningful prompts for the month of November. You can download it right here if you haven’t already. It’s filled with simple, gentle ideas to help you embrace the season, nourish your mind, body, and soul, and find a little calm in the quiet.

Because the truth is: nothing blooms all year round — and we’re not meant to, either.

These darker months are not a mistake. They are an essential part of the rhythm of the year, and of our lives. Just as the trees rest, the ground lies fallow, and animals hibernate — we, too, need rest. We need stillness. We need to retreat inward, to take stock, and to replenish.

This doesn’t mean we do nothing. It means we move differently. We light the candles a little earlier, we go for shorter walks, we drink warm drinks slowly, and we focus on what really matters. We nourish ourselves in quieter ways — good books, good soups, good company. We let go of the need to be productive all the time and instead ask: what do I need today to feel calm, held, and whole?

I have lots of seasonal well-being content coming to the blog in the weeks ahead — more on the power of rest, routines that soothe, rituals that anchor us, and ways we can find joy in the quieter corners of winter. But for now, I invite you to pause, to breathe, and to ask yourself:

What would it look like to winter well this year?

Not perfectly. Not every day. But intentionally. Gently. Slowly.
Let’s stop resisting the darker months — and start seeing them as a season of deep care.

You can find our free printable November calendar of ideas right here on the blog — and as always, use it however works best for you. Print it out, pop it on the fridge, or simply let the prompts inspire you when you need a little spark.

Here’s to wintering well — whatever that might look like for you this year. 🕯️

A few beautiful books for wintering well…
If you’re looking for some gentle inspiration to help you embrace the darker months, here are three beautiful books I’ve loved (or have on my reading list this season). They each offer their own comforting take on winter — from science and storytelling to soul-soothing rituals and reflections:

📚 Wintering by Katherine May – a tender, lyrical exploration of the quiet seasons of life and the power of rest and retreat.
📚 How to Winter by Kari Leibowitz – a fascinating look at the psychology of winter and how a change in mindset can transform our experience of the colder months.
📚 The Joy of Wintering by Erin Niimi Longhurst – a beautifully illustrated guide to finding contentment, calm, and joy through simple, mindful winter practices.

These are affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission — at no extra cost to you — if you decide to purchase. Thank you so much for supporting my work in this way.

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🍂 On the Blog This Week

This week’s post is one that’s very close to my heart — and perhaps just what many of us need right now.
“30 Ways to Winter Well” is our gentle, seasonal calendar for November: 30 small, mindful ideas to help you move through the darker days with intention, warmth, and kindness toward yourself and those around you.
You can download the free printable and read the full post here:
👉 Read “30 Ways to Winter Well”

I’ve also shared a few cozy book recommendations to go along with it — just scroll through the little photo carousel for a peek at the covers and, if you’d like, you’ll find links to read more.

🕯️ And of course, if you’re looking for Halloween content this week — whether for tonight or for the coming weekend — here’s a full roundup of what’s on the blog:

• 🎃 10 Seasonal Foods and Treats for Halloween Night
•  The Origins, Traditions & Spirit of Halloween
• 🕯️ 10 Forgotten Halloween Games to Bring Back This Year
• 👻 15 Quirky Halloween Crafts Using Things You Already Have at Home
• 🍂 13 Irish Halloween Traditions
• 🦇 12 Quirky Halloween Superstitions and Where They Come From
• 🎃 20 Halloween Traditions to Start with Your Family
• 📽️ 15 Spooky (But Not Too Scary) Movies for a Family Halloween Night
• 📝 25 Halloween Activities for Families and Teens
• 🏠 10 Cosy Ways to Celebrate Halloween at Home

👉 You can also browse all seasonal posts in one place over on the Autumn blog archive.

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❄️ Coming Up on the Blog

As we move into November, we’re beginning a new season of content together — one that’s all about wintering well, taking care of ourselves and our homes as we gently ease into the colder months.

Over the next few weeks, I’ll be sharing:

• 🫖 Simple, soul-warming winter routines
• 🧣 Cosy rituals and home ideas to make your space feel like a safe haven
• 🌲 Thoughtful preparations as we move closer to Christmas
• ❤️ Slow, reflective posts on wellness, rest, joy, and quiet seasonal beauty

And something special…
Over the Christmas holidays, I’ll be sharing a daily little letter direct to your inbox — a gentle, intentional blog-style post each morning from Christmas to New Year’s Day. These letters are just a way for us to slow down together, reflect, breathe, and find comfort in the stillness of the season. More on that soon — but I cannot wait to share them with you.

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📸 This Week on Instagram

It’s been a cozy, content-filled week over on Instagram, and as always, I’m so grateful for the chats, the kindness, and the lovely support over there.

🕯️ Our 30 Ways to Winter Well calendar was a little seasonal highlight this week — and thank you so much to everyone who shared, saved, and tagged it in your stories. I truly hope it brings a little light to the weeks ahead. If you haven’t seen it yet, there’s an image of it now live on the grid. Please do feel free to share it with anyone who might need a gentle reminder to care for themselves this season. 💛

🎁 I also launched a little Christmas candle giveaway!
If you’re in the Republic of Ireland or Northern Ireland, you can enter to win one of our Ultimate Christmas Gift Sets — in a scent of your choice or a little mix-and-match combo. All the details are over on the giveaway post, which I’ve linked below.

📅 Giveaway closes Saturday, November 1st at 8pm — and you can enter as many times as you like.
🔗 Click here to enter the giveaway

As always, you’ll find me sharing cozy little everyday moments, thoughts, and seasonal bits over on Instagram most days — so if you’re ever in the mood to chat or just fancy a quiet scroll, I’d love to see you there. Come say hello. 🧡

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🕯️ Candle Shop Update

Thank you so much for the wonderful response to our Christmas Candle Collection — I’ve been blown away by the kind messages, orders, and support. It truly means the world. If you’d like to have a little browse, everything is now live on the shop — but as always, absolutely no pressure at all. It’s just there if that’s your thing. 💛

✨ Christmas scents include:
Home for Christmas (baking and gingerbread),
Old-Fashioned Christmas (spiced orange fabulousness),
Midwinter Calm (frosty, fresh, and peaceful),
Christmas Tree Farm (pine forest joy), and
’Twas the Night Before Christmas (cozy, dreamy magic).
They’re also available in six-cube wax melt packs!

This week I also ticked off a big milestone — I had my very first craft market! It was part of the wonderful Cottage Market Drogheda pop-up for the Lú Festival of Light, and I had such a great time meeting people, chatting all things candles, and stepping (a little nervously!) into the world of in-person markets. A huge thank you to everyone who came by to say hello — it really gave me such a boost, and I’m so glad I said yes to the opportunity.

Looking ahead, I’m slowly developing a signature year-round collection to be launched in the new year. If you have a favourite scent you’d love to burn all year round — something citrusy, herbal, woody, fresh — I’d love to hear your suggestions as I begin blending and testing.

And I’m very excited to share that I’m also working on some beautiful personalised gift options (think teacher gifts, birthdays, new homes, thoughtful tokens) as well as wedding and event favours for 2026. If you’re planning a special celebration or know someone who is, feel free to pop me a message — I’d love to help create something meaningful and bespoke.

Thank you, as always, for cheering me on as this little candle dream continues to grow. It’s been such a joy to pour and post these creations from our little house to yours. 🕯️💫

💌 Just for You – A Little Thank You

As a small thank you for being here and supporting this journey, I’d love to offer you 10% off your next candle order. Simply use the code FRIDAYLETTER10 at checkout. This little code is just for newsletter readers like you — my way of saying thank you for cheering me on, week after week. 🕯️

Happy browsing, and as always, absolutely no pressure — just know it’s there if you’d like to treat yourself or someone special this season. Visit the shop.

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🌿 Follow Along

If you’d like to keep in touch between letters, you’ll find me most days over on Instagram — sharing gentle reminders, snippets of everyday life, and chats over coffee in Stories.

Here’s where else you can find me:

• 📷 Instagram
• 📝 Substack
• 📌 Pinterest
• 🏡 Blog

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💬 Share Your Thoughts

If there’s something you’d love to see in a future newsletter, blog post, or printable, or if you just want to say hello — I’d truly love to hear from you.

You can reach me any time by:

• 📩 Filling out the contact form
• ✉️ Emailing me at ourlittlehouseinthecountry@gmail.com
• 💬 Sending a DM over on Instagram

Comments on the blog or Instagram are always welcome too. I read every single one.

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🌾 Until Next Time

As October draws to a close and we gently slip into the quiet embrace of November, I hope these little letters bring you a sense of calm, comfort, and connection — wherever you are, whatever this season is holding for you.

Thank you, as always, for being here — for reading, for replying, for showing up each week with such kindness and curiosity. It truly means the world to me. If you ever feel like saying hello, my inbox and DMs are always open.

Wishing you a warm and restful weekend — whether you’re heading out for a walk through fallen leaves, curled up with a book and a blanket, or simply taking a well-deserved moment for yourself.

I’ll be back in your inbox next Friday, with more gentle inspiration for the month ahead. But until then…

With warmth from our little house to yours,
Ciara x

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