The last of the leaves are falling from the trees, which is my cue to get nostalgic and to start unearthing new and old traditions to pass the time in the lonely winter months. I'll admit right away that I started listening to Christmas music (Dean Martin, Nat King Cole, Ella Fitzgerald, the Elf soundtrack) back in October, and I've been dying to string Christmas lights in my bedroom and office ever since. Yesterday, I walked to the local drugstore and picked up some Ghiradelli's peppermint bark squares, which will go perfectly with the soon-to-be-purchased peppermint mocha frappuccino bottles and already-running-low hot chocolate mixes.

I will also admit that knitting projects are littered all over my desk and dresser, and I've squirreled away enough back issues of Real Simple and Dwell to last me at least two months. The fuzzy socks have been cleaned and put away, and my growing family of scarves has made itself at home in every open nook and cranny in the closet.

The next step is to make time for this year's Thanksgiving get-away at my grandparents' house in Tennessee. Everything about their little cabin in the woods oozes warmth and comfort, and I cannot wait to be enveloped by the familiar sights and smells. After that, I hope to start a new tradition of attending the members-only party at the Art Institute of Chicago. I won't bore you with the details of all the girly, frilly things I plan to wear to the event; just don't be surprised if I end up on the front page of The Chicago Tribune the next day under a headline ripped from a chick flick. "Chicago's Cinderella: Who Is She? Where Did She Come From?"

That's enough prattling for now. Your turn! What are you most looking forward to about the upcoming month and the winter season?