How to Create a Seasonal Bucket List

During our years spent in New England, I was continually impressed with the region’s experience of fall. The two other places I called home before that time, Alaska and Oklahoma, were not well-known for their autumn. In fact, many of their seasons blurred together into prolonged stints of cold or hot, respectively. As a novice to a full autumn, I wanted to make the most of the time I had and soon found myself creating a bucket list for each season.

Creating a seasonal bucket list is a practice that helps me prioritize what matters most in a predetermined amount of time. Practically, this improves my ability to say no to other good, but secondary things and makes real space for holy leisure in our family’s calendar. It’s very similar to the concept of a rhythm of life, but much shorter and easy for others to participate in.

How to Create a Seasonal Bucket List

1. Define the season.

Although my original inspiration for this practice came from clearly defined seasons in the northeast, it can be easily applied to any season, no matter how long or short. One could even ignore natural seasons completely and opt to focus on a particular period of time: a holiday break from school or work, quarters of the calendar year, seasons of the liturgical year, pregnancy or postpartum, a long weekend, during a family member’s deployment, etc.

2. Define what matters.

During this window of time, name any hopes or expectations you have. These will not be specific activities or details of your time, instead they will be values that help shape how you approach this season. If you are creating this list with a friend, roommate, partner, or family, be sure to collaborate.

You may identify things like rest, pleasure, adventure, physical activity, new food, travel, companionship, flexibility, getting out of the comfort zone, etc. Your values may also include factors like your budget, transportation options, time constraints, dietary or health needs, and other considerations for you or others in your group.

3. Write down every idea.

Next, you’ll brainstorm a list of activities. Write down everything that comes to mind.

4. Select the best options.

After you’ve defined your season, what matters to you, and have a list of potential ideas, select the activities that best match your predetermined values. You get to decide how many will reasonably fit within your context. I invite you to include traditions you already enjoy along with something new.

Consider the activities that are fertile ground for joy, curiosity, or healing. There may be several amazing options on your list, but only select the ones realistic for you (and any companions).

5. Anticipate change.

Your bucket list is not rigid list of commitments, instead, your list is a table set for a delicious dinner. With some forethought you’ve prepared a menu for the season. The table holds your selected ideas in lovely dishes. As you sit down to enjoy the meal and celebrate the season, you may discover you like some options better than others. You may get full sooner than expected or look for seconds or thirds. Pay attention to what works (and doesn’t!) and adjust your menu accordingly.

Our Family’s Bucket List for Autumn

As an example, here’s the bucket list we’ve created for this year’s autumn. The list itself is nothing fancy, just bullet points. Sometimes I’ll write the list on the kitchen chalk board and sometimes I keep a note on my phone.

I typically define the natural seasons by the equinox or solstice. Autumn begins September 23rd and lasts until December 21st. (I love to include liturgical celebrations, though we don’t make specific bucket lists for those seasons.) Within these two months we hope to:

• Bake a pumpkin pie with homemade whipped cream together.
• Eat fresh pretzels in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
• Celebrate Michaelmas (September 29) with a short story and craft.
• Visit a fall festival in Northern Virginia.
• Taste fresh maple syrup in Vermont.
• Pick pumpkins with friends.
• See a bit of fall foliage on a nature walk or short roadtrip.
• Celebrate Advent (begins December 3) with an Advent wreath.

I wanted to include a Hallowtide (All Hallow’s Eve, All Saint’s day, All Soul’s day) celebration but our schedules won’t allow for that this year. For us, these eight things are realistic for our family, but your list may be longer or shorter. I know we’ll knock a couple off the list in a day’s time and others may not happen.

There are, of course, more details associated with several of these items like dates, admission fares, supplies, and travel plans that I’ve kept track of. Even so, many of these activities leave room for rest and flexibility, which are critical with a toddler and pregnant mama.

A Template for Your Seasonal Bucket List

As you consider your bucket list for the upcoming season, whether that’s a natural season or one you’ve defined on your own terms, be sure to place the list in a spot you’ll notice it. Consider using one of the templates linked below.