Growing up in the Northeast, autumn was a spectacle of colorful leaves, crisp air, apple pie and pumpkin patches. It was a season I loved but took for granted. Military life changed that. After a decade of PCS moves to warm climates and overseas bases where fall was just another sunny day, I learned to cherish the small, fleeting joys of every season.
During our time in Spain, I missed pumpkin pie and jack-o-lanterns. In Southern California, I longed for crisp evenings, fire pits and the crunch of leaves underfoot. Military life, with its constant relocations and unpredictable separations, taught me to seek out and savor life’s simple moments, from seasonal traditions to everyday victories. You never know when a favorite food or tradition might be out of reach, so finding gratitude for the little things keeps you grounded, no matter where the next orders take you. As a military spouse, I’ve discovered that embracing these moments builds joy and memories that last across time zones and climates. Here are five strategies for military families to treasure life’s small moments, inspired by my journey through countless moves and seasons.
- Create seasonal family traditions. Military families rarely stay in one place for long, so build traditions that can travel with you. Instead of relying on weather or location, focus on traditions like a special recipe (our chocolate chip cookies work anywhere), a craft like making colorful paper leaf wreaths, or watching a favorite movie together every fall. These repeatable moments create continuity for your kids or spouse, grounding everyone no matter the duty station.
- Get creative to make your own vibe. Stationed somewhere without fall foliage or seasonal treats? Get resourceful. If you live overseas, you may have to stock up on pumpkin spice mix, canned pumpkin and cranberry sauce at the base commissary months in advance. You could also ask family to ship your favorite seasonal snacks. Where there’s a will, there’s a way to craft the seasonal vibe you crave, whether it’s stringing up fairy lights, playing a seasonal-themed playlist, or ordering candles with nostalgic scents.
- Celebrate with others. If you’re missing an autumn tradition, chances are other military families are too. Connect with spouses or families through your service member’s unit or base community. Host a pumpkin decorating night or gather to watch a football game with snacks. At one warm duty station, I joined other spouses to bake pumpkin bread for Halloween, turning a lonely fall during deployment into a shared celebration that built friendships.
- Don’t be afraid to start new traditions. Each duty station offers unique opportunities. When we lived in Southern Spain, autumn meant festival season, not falling leaves. We embraced local traditions: attending religious parades, dances with brightly colored dresses and horse shows. It wasn’t the Northeast autumn I knew, but diving into these new experiences created memories as rich as any apple orchard visit. Be open to what your new home offers. It might become a cherished memory, and who knows when you’ll get to repeat it?
- Create ways to capture memories. Speaking of cherished memories, military families need creative ways to capture their unique experiences! Tangible mementos help you carry joy from one duty station to the next. Collect small souvenirs like a festival ticket or a pressed leaf from a local park. Create a photo album for each season or build a memory wall with postcards and snapshots. We have a collage wall of small, framed images we collected in Europe. We have set it up in four different houses now, using different configurations each time depending on the home layout. The result is always a treasured wall of places we enjoyed visiting together.
- Finding joy in the journey. These strategies are about cultivating gratitude for each season and for life’s small moments. It’s a skill the military helped me develop through every move and deployment. Whether you’re savoring a familiar recipe in a new kitchen or discovering a local festival with new friends, these acts of celebration keep you ready for the challenges of military life. They also build community, connecting you with others who share this journey.
Next time you’re stationed far from the autumns or traditions you love, lean into these ideas. Find one small thing to celebrate — a meal, a gathering, a new event — and make it a joyful memory. Here’s to treasuring every moment, wherever military life takes you!
Blog Brigade unites military spouses by creating a community built on shared experiences and mutual support. Navigating the complexities of military life can be challenging, but you don’t have to do it alone. Military OneSource offers valuable resources focused on well-being, readiness, and connection. Explore a range of moving resources and tools tailored to your needs.
