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For many adults, particularly parents and grandparents, the summer holidays are less of a holiday and more of an elaborate juggling act. Work continues, emails still arrive and deadlines don’t disappear simply because school has finished for six weeks.
Add childcare, days out, holiday clubs, sleepovers and the inevitable last-minute change of plan, and by September many of us are ready for a reset.
Working while children are off school can require almost military levels of organisation.
Who can have them on Tuesday? Can Grandma do Thursday? Is there a friend who can help for a couple of hours? Can you move that meeting? Who is collecting them later?
For many families, summer demonstrates perfectly the old saying that it takes a village to raise a child.
That village might include grandparents, friends, neighbours, siblings and other parents. They are the people who step in when plans change, provide lunches, organise trips to the park, collect children, host sleepovers or simply give parents a few precious hours in which to get some work done.
September is therefore a lovely opportunity to say thank you.
It doesn’t need to be extravagant. Often a small, carefully chosen gift and a handwritten card mean far more.
A beautifully scented St Eval candle, or one from the Feather & Twigs candle collection, can be a simple way of saying, now it’s your turn to put your feet up.
An illustrated card from Anna Wright or Fox Under the Moon adds a personal message, while the little boxed messages and ceramic keepsakes from East of India make thoughtful gifts that can be kept long after September has passed.
Because the people who form our village deserve reminding just how much their help matters.
Once the children are back through the school gates, there is often a strange moment of silence.
And then comes the realisation: it’s time to get your own head back in the game.
September has always felt more like a new beginning than January in many ways. There is a natural change of pace. Holidays are ending, routines are returning and suddenly there is an opportunity to look at what needs doing before the end of the year.
Sometimes a few new things can help create that mental reset.
There is something wonderfully satisfying about opening a brand-new notebook, finding a pen you actually enjoy writing with or replacing the bag that has spent the summer carrying everything from laptops to snacks, water bottles and emergency sun cream.
Our Goodeehoo collection is particularly good for this September reset. Nico notebooks, pens and practical Ballas bags can help turn the return to work into something that feels a little more organised — and perhaps even enjoyable.
A new notebook can become the place for September's plans, lists and ideas. A new bag signals that work mode is officially back on. And a decent pen? Sometimes it really is the little things.
Before racing straight back into the usual routine, September is a good opportunity to stop and decide what you actually want the next few months to look like.
Clear the desk. Empty the summer debris from your bag. Start a fresh notebook. Write down the things that have been sitting at the back of your mind since July.
Perhaps make two lists: what has to be done and what you would like to achieve.
And while you're doing it, acknowledge what you managed over the summer.
Balancing children, work, family life and everything else isn't always easy. Behind many apparently seamless summers are grandparents, friends and family members quietly making everything possible.
So this September, perhaps Back to School can mean something bigger.
For the children, it means new teachers, new classrooms, freshly sharpened pencils and seeing their friends again.
For the grown-ups, it can mean reclaiming a little structure, rediscovering some headspace and getting excited about our own plans again.
And for the wonderful people who helped us get through those six long weeks?
Maybe it means a candle, a card, a little keepsake and two very important words:
Thank you.
Just Because Gifts | Thoughtful Surprise Gifts – Feather & Twigs
Behind every handcrafted piece is a maker – and sometimes the best way to support them is to let them concentrate on making.
There is something particularly special about buying an object that has been made by hand. You can see the maker’s choices in it, feel the materials and, quite often, discover a story that simply doesn’t exist with something mass-produced.
Following the success of last year’s event, the Community Art Fair returns to Croston Old School for its second year on Saturday 17th and Sunday 18th October 2026, bringing together a wonderful collection of artists, makers and creative talent.
Open from 10am until 4pm on both days, the Art Fair is an opportunity to enjoy an inspiring s...
Sterling silver jewellery is a timeless favourite, loved for its beautiful shine, versatility, and ability to complement any outfit. Whether it's a delicate necklace, an elegant bracelet, or a pair of statement earrings, sterling silver pieces can become treasured accessories that last for years with the right care.
