The ‘Ber’ Months: A Season of Home, Memories & Love

Hello friends,

There is something about the arrival of September that feels different to me. It's late August, so I'm preparing just a little early.

For many Filipinos, the “Ber” months—September through December—mark the beginning of the Christmas season. But for me, they have always meant something more than decorations, food, and the anticipation of Christmas.

They mean home. Family. Memories. Love. And this year, they mean something even deeper. Both Tess, Dennis' mom, and my mom loved this time of year. After both passed, I wanted this year to be special. So as the seasons begin to change, I find myself thinking about them even more. There is a bittersweet feeling in welcoming a season that brought them so much joy while knowing they are no longer here to experience it with me.

I miss them.

But I also don’t want the sadness to be the only thing I feel. I want to remember the laughter. The meals. The little traditions. The excitement of decorating. The feeling of making a home warm and welcoming for the people we love. So this year, I’m choosing to welcome the “Ber” months with an open heart.

A Filipino Christmas Begins Early

Growing up with Filipino traditions, I’ve always loved that Christmas seems to arrive a little earlier. The “Ber” months carry a special kind of excitement. Homes slowly begin to change. Decorations come out of storage. Christmas music starts making its way into our days. Food becomes part of the celebration, and thoughts naturally turn toward family and gathering together. There is something beautiful about that anticipation. It reminds me that sometimes a season's joy isn’t found in one particular day. It’s found in all the little moments leading up to it. For me, those moments will look a little different this year. I’ll be decorating our home slowly, letting the seasons unfold naturally instead of rushing through them. I want to enjoy each little change—the colors, the textures, the lights, the cozy corners of our home. And as I decorate, I know there will be moments when I think of Tess and Mom. I imagine that’s okay. Maybe this is another way of keeping the people we love close.

Making Room for Memories

Grief has a funny way of showing up. Sometimes it comes in the quiet moments. Sometimes it arrives when you smell something familiar, hear a song, or see something that immediately takes you back. And sometimes it shows up when you’re simply hanging a Christmas ornament. This year, I know there will be moments when decorating our home brings tears to my eyes. But I also hope there will be smiles. Because the people we love become part of our stories. Their favorite things, their traditions, the meals we shared, and the memories we created don’t disappear just because they are no longer sitting beside us. I want to carry those memories forward. I want our home to feel warm, lived-in, and full of little reminders of the people who made our lives special.

A Season of Homemade Goodness

Another thing I’m looking forward to this year is spending time in the kitchen. I’ll be working on homemade goodies that I hope to share at local farmers' markets. There is something so comforting about making something with your hands and then sharing it with someone else. It feels especially meaningful during this season. Food has always been such an important part of Filipino gatherings. It brings people to the table. It gives us a reason to slow down, visit, laugh, and make memories. So I’m excited to experiment, bake, create, and eventually bring some of those homemade goodies to local markets. Maybe I’ll see some of you there.

More to Come

I think this year will be less about creating the “perfect” Christmas and more about creating a meaningful one. I’ll be sharing more over the next several weeks and months as our home changes with the seasons. There will be decorating, cozy moments, Filipino-inspired traditions, homemade goodies, farmers market adventures, and probably a few stories along the way. Some will be joyful. Some may be a little bittersweet. And some may simply be everyday life. But that’s what I want this season to be about—real life, real memories, and finding little pieces of joy along the way. As I welcome the “Ber” months, I’m choosing to hold both things in my heart: the sadness of missing the people I love and the gratitude for having loved them so deeply. Tess and Mom, this season will always remind me of you. So I’ll decorate. I’ll cook. I’ll gather. I’ll remember. And most importantly, I’ll keep celebrating the love you left behind.

Here’s to the beginning of another “Ber” season—and to finding a little warmth, comfort, and joy in the months ahead.

Thank you for being here with me. I hope you’ll follow along as I decorate our home, prepare homemade goodies, visit local farmers' markets, and share more of this season with you.

Until next time,

Susan