Looking Forward to Cozy

Every year, usually during the warmest stretch of the year, I start thinking about the cozy season. It usually happens long before the weather gives me reason to. Here, in Southern California, I’m still wearing sundresses and sandals, and sipping on iced tea when thoughts of cold nights and warm beverages start to come to mind.

This year, many of those daydreams happened alongside our worst heat wave in recent years. But instead of moaning about the humidity or envying those who are already moving their sweaters and scarves to the front of their closets, I decided to enjoy looking forward to those cozy days ahead. Because I know they’ll come, even if they’re a little late.

I’m a firm believer that anticipation can stretch out of the joy of something, and I love looking forward to the season’s firsts:

the first cold morning when a throw blanket is needed, the
first soup simmering on the stove, the first rainy day spent indoors.

There’s something comforting about knowing those little moments are still waiting for me.

So, even though the cozy season still feels far off, I’m getting ready for it. I’ve taken the summer reads out of my To-Be-Read cart and replaced them with books that are spooky and fall-ish; chosen which crochet project will keep me cozy once the nights turn chilly; and flagged all the hearty soups and stews I’m excited to make. None of this is necessary, of course. It’s simply a way for me to start enjoying the season before it’s arrived.

The things I’m most looking forward to aren’t particularly grand. Most of them are ordinary moments I’ve experienced dozens of times before. But I think that’s part of what makes anticipation so wonderful. It reminds us that we don’t always need something new or exciting on the horizon. Sometimes it’s enough to know that a favorite season will come around again, bringing with it all the familiar little things we’ve missed.

Maybe cozy season doesn’t need to be about decorating your home or buying anything new. It can instead mean making a mental list of what you’ve missed: cold mornings, favorite sweaters, early sunsets, mugs of something warm, blankets piled on the couch, or the sound of rain against the windows. It can mean truly appreciating these ordinary but magical things before they’re gone for another year.

Whether cozy weather has already arrived where you are or you’re still waiting patiently for that first cool morning, there’s no reason you can’t start enjoying the anticipation now. Think about the little seasonal rituals you’re looking forward to most. And when those first cozy moments finally arrive, notice them, savor them, and enjoy every minute.

You might also like …

• The Cozy Issue (Volume 9 arrives November 1st)
• 30 Days of Cozy
• The Ultimate Cozy Playlist
• 27 Movies for a Cozy Night In