Fall Breezes, Holiday Memories, and Finding Faith in Every Season

All the summer girlies are crying into their iced lattes because the sun is setting earlier, the pool floats are deflated, and the beach trips are behind us- not me. As soon as September/October roll around, I’m in full fall mode. Give me the chilly breeze, the cozy sweaters, and the seasonal drinks. I don’t need the calendar to say it’s officially autumn; my heart already knows.

But there’s something about these “BER months” (September, October, November, December) that goes beyond just the pretty leaves or the warm soups. It’s nostalgia season. The kind that sneaks up on you with the smell of cinnamon, the crunch of leaves, or a breeze that feels exactly like one you’ve felt before.

The Breeze That Brings Me Back

Every year, that first crisp morning air feels like a time machine. Suddenly I’m a little girl in New York sitting on the couch with my grandma or playing my cousins and pushing out our visible breath in the cool air. Sometimes, it takes me back to decorating the Christmas tree with my mom and sisters in Houston (which is weird because it doesn't get too cold here) but we're laughing, bickering about where the ornaments should go, but always stepping back at the end to admire the glow.

And oddly enough, that same fall air even reminds me of the transition from college into adulthood—the way everything felt uncertain, but exciting, like a door was opening into a whole new world. Isn’t it funny how one season can hold so many chapters of your life?

The Smells, the Sounds, the Seasons

Okay, confession time: I’m not a pumpkin spice girly. I’ll let the rest of the world keep their PSLs. But the smell of it? That I’ll claim. There’s something about the scent of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves floating through the air that feels like home. Add to that the smells of Thanksgiving, pernil or turkey in the oven, arroz con gandules cooking and a pumpkin candle burning. It’s enough to send me straight back to childhood dinners where everyone talked over each other and merengue music filled the gaps. When we all actually got together and holidays were a huge celebration.

Then come the sounds. Certain songs and movies are stitched into this season for me. From the old holiday classics my mom would put on while we decorated, to the soundtracks of my teenage years that still make me feel like I’m sitting in my childhood bedroom looking through InStyle magazine or drawing in my sketch book. Cell phones and social media hadn't taken over our lives yet.

These sensory moments are little anchors. They don’t just remind me of days gone by—they remind me of the feelings: belonging, joy, anticipation, and sometimes even the ache of change.

Holding Tradition and Creating New Ones

Nostalgia always stirs up this desire to hold onto the traditions I grew up with. Some of them I can’t recreate exactly, because life looks different now, but I try to weave them into my own family life in small ways.

And then there’s the fun of creating new traditions. Whether it’s simple family movie nights under a pile of blankets, baking cookies that don’t look Pinterest-perfect, or even just taking time to slow down and pray together as a family—these are the things I hope my kids will look back on one day with the same kind of fondness I feel now. Because the truth is, traditions don’t have to be elaborate to be meaningful. They just need to be rooted in love and faith.

The Shadow Side: Seasonal Depression

Of course, we can’t ignore the other side of the season. While the holidays bring warmth and joy, they can also stir up feelings of sadness, loneliness, or overwhelm. Seasonal depression, or seasonal affective disorder (SAD), is something many people experience as the days get shorter and darker.

From a mental health perspective, it’s tied to changes in our brain chemistry—less sunlight means less serotonin, and our bodies naturally start producing more melatonin, which can make us feel sluggish or down. Add to that the pressures of the holiday season—finances, family dynamics, grief for loved ones we miss—and it’s a lot to carry.

Practical ways professionals suggest coping include:

• Getting outside daily to soak in any natural light.

• Moving your body—whether it’s stretching, dancing, or a walk.

• Reaching out to a trusted friend, family member, or therapist instead of carrying the weight alone.

• Resting without guilt—not every moment has to be filled with activity.

  
  

And from a faith perspective, I think of Matthew 11:28: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” God doesn’t expect us to push through every season on our own. He meets us in the heaviness and offers the kind of peace the world can’t give.

Faith in the Midst of Memory

When nostalgia hits me hardest, I remind myself: God was present in all of those memories I treasure. He was there in my grandma’s living room, in the laughter with my cousins, in the uncertainty of my early adulthood. And He’s here now, guiding me as I create new memories with my own family.

Traditions, both old and new, become opportunities to invite Him in—whether that’s through prayer before meals, reading Scripture as a family, or simply recognizing His goodness in the small, ordinary moments of joy.

Looking Ahead with Gratitude

As Thanksgiving and Christmas draw closer, I find myself holding two things at once: the sweet nostalgia of what’s behind me and the hope of what’s still to come.

Maybe this year, our tradition will be baking something together. Maybe it will be cozy movie nights. Maybe it’s something as simple as a quick Bible study and praying as a family. Whatever it is, it doesn’t have to be big—it just has to be ours.

And when the harder moments come, as they sometimes do, I’ll rest in knowing that I’m not alone. Neither are you. God is with us—Emmanuel, in every season, in every memory, in every breeze that carries us back and every moment that pulls us forward.

✨ Mama y Mana family, what’s one memory that always comes back to you during the BER months? And what’s a tradition you’re excited to start (or continue) this year?