How could it possibly be November already??? 

When we find ourselves thinking this thought, it’s our reminder to slow down, reflect, and look for perspective in our lives. What is really important to us? We know that we can’t stop the progression of time, but what we can do is to change the way we spend our time and focus that time on meaningful experiences. Remember the past, think about the future, but live in the present. This saying really resonates with what we believe. Our everyday life is just a collection of precious memories and experiences that’s continually evolving. This means what is happening right now has central importance and we should take time to enjoy it. We want to make sure we are not just functioning on auto-pilot, going along with things while they pass us by. 

At plj we’re looking forward to November with the hopes of inspiring you to start the season with gratitude and simplicity in mind, as you focus on the joy in giving, gathering, and celebrating the sparkle of this festive time of year. And as time goes by, we’ve learned to appreciate each of our moments… not only the milestones and those “important” days on the calendar, but the small ordinary moments too. Our founding mission reminds us that there is joy in our everyday lives; we sometimes just have to slow down to see it, but when we appreciate the importance of these little moments, we live with positivity and hope. Grounded by the gratitude in our hearts and by a new perspective on the power of everyday moments, let’s look forward to the holiday season and take the time to prioritize what makes us and our families truly happy and relaxed when we’re together. 

Home for the Holidays

The holiday season evokes a feeling of comfort, tradition, and togetherness in all of us—that place where we feel relaxed and connected with the people we love. Filling our living spaces with beautiful greenery, ornaments, and sentiments that make our homes and hearts warm and inviting is first on our agenda this time of year. We love to set a tone of simplicity with freshly scented greens and garlands, cozy textiles, gold and silver decorative accents, baubles and candles to grace our surroundings. We look forward to filling our holiday tables with a variety of potted winter bulbs, arranging seasonal flowers in our favored containers and preparing our traditional favorite Thanksgiving dishes along with a few new inspirations to celebrate our everyday harvest-season menu. Savoring the comfort of these moments and focusing on the joy, love, and togetherness they bring us is what matters most.

November brings transitions, as the chilly temperatures outside inspire a longing to create a cozy comfort as family gathers more inside. As you may already have figured out, at partager la joie we’re forever in love with Thanksgiving for the way it gives us occasion to pause, gather, and reconnect with family and friends over a much-anticipated meal. It’s a moment where we can express our gratitude by giving the gift of ourselves. 

We look at Thanksgiving as a celebration to set the tone for the holiday season—a time to make winter shine no matter our beliefs. Special moments to come together and express love, hope and share joyous memories we’ll hold dear in our hearts for years to come.

A Thankful Perspective

Gratitude provides us the opportunity to appreciate the beauty of life, our family, and the time we have together. The ability to prioritize time with the people who matter most in our lives is the best gift we can give to ourselves and those who are close to us. This time of year it's so easy to get caught up in the frenzy of the season. Practicing gratitude has the power to help us slow down. Remember, our ability to find meaningful connection is what is really important to us and the moments that we will remember. As we gather with loved ones this month, make it a point to tell them how much they mean to us and how thankful we are to be able to share our lives, joys and moments with them. Grounding in gratitude helps us to listen to each other, respect opinions different to our own, and strengthen our connections and community. After all, expressing our gratitude as we fill our hearts and homes with togetherness and meaningful connections is the essence of Thanksgiving.

Inspiration Workshop: Hosting the Holidays 

We find so much inspiration in sharing the joy in home gatherings that are founded in simple elegance. Our intention is to teach you an approach that will help you tap into your own creativity so you feel organized and confident through the planning and hosting process. 

Our Holiday Hosting Notebook

If you’re new to plj, let us introduce you to our holiday hosting strategy checklist—a curated guide to use as a resource for all your  holiday hosting needs. Before we get into the details, we’d like to share our perspective on navigating your way through hosting the holidays at home 

⧫ First and foremost, relax. Envision your gathering— overall how would you like it to look and then start to implement your design plan. Remember that elegance should be simple, less is more, and it's not at all about perfection—it's about gathering with those you love and celebrating your gratitude for that connection. If you’re a happy host, everyone will naturally share in that feeling. The key to keeping your own stress low and enjoyment high during the gathering is to take the time beforehand to plan out the details. 

⧫ Just as importantly, enlist help if you need it. Here’s a little pro tip: let go of the idea of doing everything yourself and embrace strategic outsourcing. For Thanksgiving, that might mean planning a pre-holiday pie workshop day with friends, letting guests bring their favorite desserts or sides, or ordering some of the basics from a local market, bakery, or caterer so you have more time to put your energy into the design details of the day and enjoy the moment.

⧫ Be open to new traditions as well. Life continues to evolve, and no matter where your plans take you this year, remember that what really counts is not so much abundance of dishes on the Thanksgiving table, but an abundance of love and bonds that hold our families and communities together. 

Hosting is in the Details—and Here’s How We Do It!

• Make an overview/outline for your gathering game plan — Make some notes on how you’d like the day (or days) to look and feel, whether it is one dinner or a weekend with guests, and then create a timeline for how you’d like it to unfold. Make a mood board if that helps your  organizational creativity. Start with the overall logistics: Who is coming? Is your home guest-ready? How would you like your table to look? What will your menu be? Is there a theme you’d like to weave through the elements of this gathering? How would you like the gathering to progress? Outlining an overview before you make detailed plans helps you to create a gathering that will suit your personal style. 

• Plan the details — Think about the last time you attended a gathering that you really enjoyed. What made it so special? A welcoming vibe, great conversations, spending time with family and friends? You also may remember a delicious meal, a fantastic cocktail, a beautifully set table, exquisite flowers, and a warm and inviting home. While some of these elements may have fallen into place spontaneously, more than likely there was careful attention to detail behind it all. This part may feel a little tedious, but if you work through the planning process and pay attention to detail ahead of time, it soon becomes second nature. Once design planning is in place, hosting is as simple as putting your best foot forward and welcoming the spontaneity of shared enjoyment with your guests.

• Divide your plan into sections — Once your timeline is clear, block out your event into spatial sections (living space, dining area, guest room, outdoor space, etc.) according to time segments for a clear overview of how your gathering will unfold. If you will be hosting overnight, consider breakfast, brunch, and any indoor or outdoor activities you think your group will enjoy.

• Get nitty-gritty with the logistics — Here’s where you take a deep-dive into the details. For maximum enjoyment of a day of entertaining that’s tailor-made to fit your style and minimize holiday stress, create checklists for:

• Shopping — Consider your guest list. Are there any special dietary needs or restrictions to keep in mind? When will you shop?

• Delegating — Who is bringing what, if you have invited guests to bring a favorite dish? Who is going to help with shopping, prep, and cooking? (Sometimes this is where the best holiday fun is had… share the kitchen joy and make memories for years to come!)  

• Food prep — What can you make or prep ahead? When will you do this advance prep? Do you need help? What must be done on the day of, or even immediately before serving? We can’t stress the planning process enough, if you’re well organized ahead of time you’ll feel relaxed and enjoy the day along with your guests. 

• Cooking —  Coordinating prep and cooking times minimizes your game-day stress. This stage of planning will also help you work out potential logistics problems ahead of time (appropriate cookware, oven space, etc.).

• Serving — When will you set the table? What is your seating plan? List table setting items and serving dishes you’ll need and brainstorm table design. Think about flowers or any other elements you’d like to incorporate in your table design (candles, place-cards, etc.). Outline how your meal will progress: courses, buffet, plated dinner, or family style? Will you begin with hors d'oeuvres or an apéro? Are you serving soup or another sort of entrée? Will dessert, coffee, and digestives happen at the table or later, in front of the fire? (We like to start out with a holiday craft cocktail like our Cranberry Prosecco, an Apple Cider Mimosa or an Aperol Spritz—see our epicure for recipes.) Simply prepare a festive tray, fill your glasses, and greet loved ones with a bubbly welcome toast.

• Overnight guests — Create an inviting, cozy, and restful space your guests can easily make their own. Set the tone with fresh linens, an extra blanket, a small votive of flowers on the nightstand, a pitcher of water, and a drinking glass. Prepare a basket with the necessary essentials for a pleasant, pampered stay, including extra towels and travel-sized toiletries. Small, personalized touches like a welcome gift or curated reading material can go a long way toward making your guest feel welcome and loved. 

If you’d like personalized guidance on hosting and holiday planning this season, our Inspiration Workshops are set up to let us help you design a gathering that showcases your unique home and is perfectly and joyfully you!

Give, Gather, Graze

We’ve collected a holiday-friendly list of traditional favorites and a few new recipes for you this month. Whether you’re looking for festive showstoppers, table-brightening sides, brunch comfort, or seasonal sips and sweets, it's all here in our epicure. We’d love to try your holiday favorites too! Let us know what you’re making and we’ll share it with our community.

November Epicure Highlights:

Cinnamon Rolls

Overnight French Toast Bake

Belgian Waffles 

Brown Butter Pumpkin Seed Granola

Pumpkin Chia Seed Pudding

Apple Cider Muffins

Quiche Lorraine

Fall Salad

Coconut Curry Butternut Squash Soup

Classic Chicken Soup

Roasted Butternut Squash and Spinach Lasagna

Pumpkin Mac & Cheese

Roasted Boneless Turkey Breast

Simple Herb Stuffing 

Baked Brie with Honey and Walnuts

Pumpkin Roll Cake

Apple Strudel

Pumpkin Olive Oil Cake

Cranberry Prosecco

Sparkling Apple Cider

A Warm Welcome

A Gathering Space — Creating a sense of warmth and comfort in your home will make everyone feel welcome. Keep a basket of cozy slippers or oversized socks by your entry door as temperatures drop outside. Where do you love to gather at this time of year? Filling your living spaces with luxurious throw blankets, freshly collected winter greens, a warm fire and earthy scented candles will encourage your guests and your family to enjoy the ambience. Spruce up your outdoor spaces for the holiday season. Fill outdoor urns with tiny pines or cypress trees. We’re donning our doors with magnolia wreaths accented with lush brown velvet bows this year. Add lanterns, candles or simple strings of lights for a warm welcome into your home. Remember, small touches can go a long way to give a fresh and simply elegant vibe—incorporating a variety of greens like juniper, olive, boxwood, and magnolia in wreaths and garlands.

Holiday grazing — A festive snack board with nibbles and small bites is always a good idea to have ready when guests arrive, especially around the holidays. We like to incorporate seasonal flavors and a signature cocktail spritz in our design. To create a grazing board: Use a round or rectangular wooden board, tray, or basket lined with parchment and arrange a selection of cheeses—sliced and arrayed, cubed, or whole. We love to add a few warm bites this time of year—a holiday-themed baked brie in puff pastry in the center of our board, small slices of homemade quiche, or individual pureed soup shots in drinking glasses (our coconut curry butternut squash recipe works well here). Display thinly sliced meats shaped into rosettes. Add small accent bowls filled with honey, jams, soft cheeses, hummus, nuts, chutneys, olives, and dips. Arrange seasonal and/or dried fruits: grapes, figs, sliced pear and apple, and dried apricots or dates. Fill in the grazing board with crackers, crisps, and mini toasts and add a bit of style with fancy appetizer plates and gold cheese knives, forks, and mini spoons.

A Thanksgiving Table — Dress your table with a cotton or linen tablecloth—patterned or solid, but give some thought ahead to what layers you’re planning to place on top, then bring in natural elements like boughs and sprigs of greens for your arrangements. This might be an array of branches on a buffet and low-profile florals or mini potted trees along the center of the table. (We love olive, magnolia and eucalyptus leaves here.) Add texture, pattern and color with a variety of tableware—woven charger plates, beaded glassware, select Belgian linen or small-pattern cotton napkins in woven napkin rings, tied in a simple knot, or adored with a velvet bow. Incorporate olive wood serving boards and woven or glass table accents, and plenty of candles in various heights. Accessorize with a touch of personalization—special place-cards, mini picture frames, a personalized ornament, a handwritten card, or a small unique gift from recent travels.

The Comforts of  Home — Nothing says holidays like a cozy family movie night, making time for a long conversation, or simply relaxing together by a fire with our special loves. See our epicure for seasonal recipes—perfect complements for a beautiful evening at home, a tradition we always look forward to!

Take Good Care: Prioritize Seasonal Wellness 

With temperatures dropping and the excitement of the holiday season rising, we tend to over-extend ourselves. Now is the time to put wellness front and center. Keep gatherings simple and focused on being together. Plan ahead to avoid taking on too much. Try to balance holiday indulgences (which we all love) by preparing healthy meals, scheduling downtime for you and your family, and getting plenty of rest and quality sleep. Revisit October’s blog for our tips on getting a good night’s rest.  Making a point to rejuvenate and taking good care of ourselves and our family will allow us to enjoy our time together to the fullest. Well-being is a gift not only to ourselves, but to those who care about us, and modeling self-care for our loved ones is a powerful way to encourage a wellness-focused lifestyle for all  of us.

Holiday Essentials

Whether you're hosting at home or traveling this month, we have your festive season covered. Our everyday tote in soft recycled leather is top on our list. Our hammered glass carafe and glass set makes the perfect hostess gift! We have a wide selection of beautiful kitchen essentials, warmly scented candles, an assortment of woven baskets and olive wood serving boards and plenty of table linens for all your home gathering needs. Keep warm and cozy with our organic cotton travel scarves, blankets, and loungewear collection— wonderful gift ideas. To enhance your wellness and relaxation this season, stock up on our magnesium bath soak, eye pillows, lip balm, rose-water spritz, and signature Calm and Refresh bath and body salts, and oils—shop our collection and lavish a little joy on yourself and everyone on your list!

A Thankful Heart is a Full Heart

The holiday season brings with it lots of joy, but it can also be a challenging time for those of us grieving a loss or struggling with something. Here’s your opportunity to do some good and reach out, in your own way, at a time when gestures of kindness can make a difference. Meaningful moments shared can make a huge impact and add light and positivity to someone’s day. Just as meaningful moments and joy don’t have to come from grand occasions, sometimes the most significant gestures are the small but heartfelt ones. Extend a dinner invitation, send a handwritten note, make time for coffee or a stroll with a friend, or volunteer for a project in your community to help bring a smile to someone who needs one. 

We find that making time for such connections is the best way to open our hearts wide and fill them with gratitude. With a thankful perspective, let’s make the most of every precious moment we share together. We’re keeping this intention with us this season to help us focus on what Thanksgiving really means. Gratitude for each and every moment shared with those we love—it’s at the heart of this season and of our vision at partager la joie.