The Gilded Margin

Monthly Musts| The Gilded Margin

November is a funny little month. Halloween is over, Christmas is already trying to move into the neighborhood, and Thanksgiving is somewhere in the middle wondering if anyone remembered to thaw the turkey.

But I happen to think November deserves a little attention of its own.

It’s the month of changing leaves, cooler evenings, warm kitchens, apple cider, farmers markets, family gatherings, and the very specific joy of having absolutely nowhere to be on a Saturday afternoon. It’s also a pretty good excuse to find a new book, plan a movie night, bake something with cinnamon in it, and pretend the laundry isn’t looking at you.

So before we rush straight into Christmas mode, here’s a little November inspiration: things to do, movies and series to watch, and books to add to your reading pile. A mix of old favorites and newer finds, with options for family time and a few things to save for after everyone else has gone to bed.

Get Out and Enjoy November

If the weather cooperates, November is one of the nicest times to get out and explore North Texas.

Fort Worth Botanic Garden Fall Japanese Festival

November 7–8 | Fort Worth

Traditional performances, music, tea ceremonies, and cultural demonstrations make this a lovely excuse to spend some time outside and enjoy something different.

Turtle Creek Fall Arts Festival

November 21–22 | Reverchon Park, Dallas

Browse local artists, makers, and demonstrations, enjoy live acoustic music, and let the kids explore the children’s area. You might even find something you didn’t know you needed.

Dallas Arboretum Seasonal Workshops

November | Dallas

The Arboretum has seasonal workshops throughout the month, including holiday baking and floral projects. Check the current calendar for dates, registration, and availability.

A Few Ways to Make November Feel Like November

Not every seasonal activity needs a ticket, a reservation, or an elaborate Pinterest board.

• Visit a farmers market or local bookstore.
• Bake apple crisp, pumpkin bread, cinnamon rolls, or a pie.
• Have a soup-and-movie night.
• Take a scenic drive and look for fall colors.
• Start a family gratitude jar and read everyone’s contributions at Thanksgiving.
• Have a no-plans Saturday. Sometimes the activity is not having an activity.

Let the kids help choose a couple of traditions to repeat every November. Those little rituals often become the memories everyone looks forward to.

The November Watchlist

A good November watchlist needs a little nostalgia, something new, a few laughs, and at least one movie that makes everyone want to eat popcorn in pajamas.

Family Movie Night

The Wild Robot (2024)

A beautiful animated adventure about nature, belonging, and an unexpected family. It’s heartfelt, visually gorgeous, and worth watching together. Bring tissues.

Paddington 2 (2017)

Charming, funny, and almost aggressively wholesome. A feel-good family movie that reminds us the world might not be entirely terrible.

National Treasure (2004)

History, puzzles, treasure hunting, and adventure. A great choice for a family that enjoys mysteries and trying to solve the clues before the characters do.

A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving (1973)

Some traditions don’t need updating. Charlie Brown, Snoopy, and an extremely unconventional Thanksgiving dinner belong on the November calendar.

Movies for the Grown-Ups

You’ve Got Mail (1998)

Bookstores, New York in autumn, charming neighborhood streets, and a little romance. If this movie doesn’t make you want to browse a bookstore and buy something you don’t need, I don’t know what will.

Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987)

The Thanksgiving travel movie. Two very different people attempt to get home for the holiday, and just about everything that can go wrong does. If you’ve ever traveled during a holiday, you’ll probably relate a little too much.

Knives Out (2019)

A wealthy dysfunctional family, a beautiful estate, a suspicious death, and a detective with questions. A great pick for a night when you want to play armchair detective.

Stir Crazy (1980)

Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor are wrongfully imprisoned, and their attempts to navigate prison life turn into a ridiculous comedy. Their chemistry is the real magic here. A classic buddy comedy worth revisiting.

Step Brothers (2008)

Two grown men become stepbrothers and proceed to behave like unsupervised toddlers. Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly are completely ridiculous together. Definitely an after-bedtime pick.

Series for Family Viewing

Anne with an E

A heartfelt series about family, friendship, growing up, and finding your place in the world. The countryside scenery is a bonus.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians

Mythology, adventure, friendship, and fantasy. A great shared watch for families who enjoy magical worlds.

The Great British Baking Show

Beautiful bakes, seasonal challenges, and gentle competition. It’s practically required November viewing, even if it does make you question your own baking abilities.

Series for After the Kids Go to Bed

Nobody Wants This

Modern romance, sharp humor, family interference, and relationship complications. Kristen Bell and Adam Brody have great chemistry, and it’s an easy series to get invested in.

Big Mistakes

Dan Levy and Laurie Metcalf star in this dark comedy about two dysfunctional siblings accidentally pulled into organized crime. Family chaos, terrible decisions, and criminal incompetence. The casting alone has my attention.

Gilmore Girls

Stars Hollow, fall festivals, coffee, bookstores, small-town drama, and endless conversations. This show practically has its own season.

Only Murders in the Building

A cozy mystery with eccentric characters, humor, and clever storytelling. Three unlikely neighbors get wrapped up in murder investigations, and the result is wonderfully entertaining.

The Gilded Age

Elaborate dinners, beautiful interiors, historical fashion, and social climbing. Sometimes you just need to watch wealthy people have problems in beautiful rooms.

The November Reading List

November is a good month for family read-alouds, middle-grade adventures, small-town stories, cozy mysteries, and books that make you want to stay home.

Books for the Family Bookshelf

The Wild Robot — Peter Brown

A moving adventure about nature, friendship, and unexpected family. One of those books that works for younger readers and adults alike.

The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street — Karina Yan Glaser

A warm family story about siblings, home, neighborhood connections, and belonging.

The Girl Who Drank the Moon — Kelly Barnhill

A beautifully written fantasy with magic, dragons, and a story about love and belonging. Perfect for readers who enjoy a little adventure.

Pumpkinheads — Rainbow Rowell and Faith Erin Hicks

A graphic novel set at a pumpkin patch during the final night of the season. A fun, charming fall read for tweens and older kids.

Books for the Grown-Up TBR

The City Baker’s Guide to Country Living — Louise Miller

A baker leaves city life behind for a small Vermont town. Food, community, countryside scenery, and plenty of cozy atmosphere. It feels like the literary equivalent of walking into a warm kitchen on a chilly day.

The Pumpkin Spice Café — Laurie Gilmore

A small-town romance with a café, seasonal charm, and plenty of autumn atmosphere. If your ideal November includes a cozy café and a little romance, this one fits.

The Thursday Murder Club — Richard Osman

A group of retirement-community residents investigate cold cases. A cozy mystery with humor, heart, and wonderfully entertaining characters.

The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches — Sangu Mandanna

A witch, an unusual household, found family, and a warm magical story. More about connection and belonging than spooky season.

The Secret History — Donna Tartt

For readers who prefer their fall a little darker and more intellectual. An elite college, secrets, obsession, and murder. A classic dark-academia pick.

A Little November Challenge

Nothing complicated. No color-coded spreadsheet required. Unless that’s your thing, in which case I support your hobbies.

• Watch one Thanksgiving movie.
• Have one family movie night.
• Watch a classic comedy you haven’t seen in years.
• Read one book purely for enjoyment.
• Bake something with apples or cinnamon.
• Visit a local market or seasonal event.
• Take a family photo outside.
• Start a gratitude jar.
• Spend an afternoon doing absolutely nothing productive.

Let November Be Its Own Season

We spend so much time rushing from one holiday to the next that sometimes we forget to enjoy the in-between.

November doesn’t need to be a month of elaborate plans or perfectly styled tables. It can be a movie on the couch, a new book, a walk through the neighborhood, a pie that turns out slightly lopsided, or a family dinner where everyone actually sits down at the same time.

It can be introducing the kids to a movie you loved growing up, discovering a new series after bedtime, or laughing at a comedy that has absolutely no business being as ridiculous as it is.

The holidays will get here soon enough. For now, enjoy the changing season, make something warm, find a good story, and give yourself permission to slow down a little.

And if all you accomplish this month is watching a movie, eating something delicious, and reading a few chapters before falling asleep, I’d say that’s a pretty successful November.