The First Night of Fall: A Tradition I Look Forward to All Year

Oh my goodness. It’s the first day of fall.

After an entire month of talking about the season & finding little ways to make September feel special, we’re finally here.

If you know me, though, you know the part I’ve really been waiting for starts tonight.

Every year, I protect the first evening of fall like it’s a tiny holiday. I don’t make plans once the evening gets going, & I make sure everything I need is already at home. By 7 PM, the rest of the world pretty much loses access to me.

I honestly couldn’t tell you when I decided First Night had to begin at that specific time. That’s just the rule now. Somewhere along the way, I did it once, loved it & kept repeating it until it became part of the season for me.

Tonight, I’m doing it again.

5:00 PM | The Laptop Closes

The first day of fall is still a workday this year, which feels a little rude considering the occasion.

At 5 PM, I close the laptop & give myself about 30 minutes to decompress before I start getting ready for the night. I don’t rush into anything. I just want a little space between the workday & the evening I’ve been looking forward to.

By 5:30, we are officially in pregame territory.

The cozy pajamas come out, I grab whichever robe I’m feeling in the moment & make sure my blanket is ready. Dinner is already decided & yesterday’s little equinox treat is waiting for round two.

There are no last-minute errands tonight either. Nay, nay.

Then comes an everything shower, followed by skincare & body care. Workday L goes into the shower. First Night of Fall L emerges.

By 6:30, I’m getting dinner together. I keep it easy because the goal is to be settled in by seven, not staring into the oven wondering why dinner isn’t done yet.

Charmed has a call time, if you ask me.

7:00 PM | First Night Begins

At seven, I light the candles & put my phone away as much as possible.

Then I get comfortable & press play.

Every First Night starts with the original Charmed, Season 1, Episode 1: “Something Wicca This Way Comes.”

Yes, I know the title by heart.

I restart the series every fall & keep watching it throughout the season, but First Night always begins at the beginning. At this point, starting Charmed on the first night of fall feels as familiar to me as pulling out seasonal decor.

Dinner happens while the episode plays, & eventually I pause for the least glamorous part of the tradition: dishes. I put on a fall playlist, clean up the kitchen & grab whatever snacks I want for later. Then it’s back to the couch with a nice drink & something sweet.

Once Charmed is back on, I’m pretty much done for the night.

That’s really what I love about this tradition. I’ve looked forward to it all year, so when it gets here, I let myself enjoy it without trying to squeeze anything else into the evening. Work can wait until tomorrow. The random little things I suddenly remember at 8:14 PM can wait too.

I’ll probably watch another episode after the first one. Then I’ll stay exactly where I am until I’m ready for bed.

Simple. Very specific. Exactly how I like it.

If this makes you want to create your own version of First Night, I fully support it. Yours can be completely different. Pick something you genuinely look forward to & give yourself an evening to enjoy it.

I’ll See You at Seven

It isn’t quite seven yet, so I still have dinner to finish & the Halliwell sisters are waiting patiently for me to restart their entire lives.

I’m going to finish getting ready for my favorite night of the season. If you’re joining me, get comfortable & put away whatever can wait.

Happy First Night of Fall. I’ll see you at seven. 🤎

– L

xx