The autumn calendar: what to sort out in September, October, and November
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by Verpakkingdeals.nl
6 min reading time
From Neighbours' Day to Sinterklaas Eve: eight moments in September, October, and November, with details on what to arrange for each and how many weeks in advance.
At the end of August, autumn still feels vague: some long evenings left, holiday items half put away. Yet, between now and Sinterklaas, there are at least eight occasions when you'll need something – a treat, a costume, a lantern, a box to send something. If you only realize these moments on the day itself, you'll pay for express delivery or miss out entirely. This calendar lists them, detailing what you need to arrange and how many weeks in advance.
September: Outdoors, Neighborhood, and the First Dark Evenings
The fourth Saturday in September is Neighborhood Day; in 2026, that falls on September 26. What you need is usually simple and reusable: something to decorate with, disposable tableware or your own glasses, and a game that works on the street or in a garden. Eddy Toys Boule Set 7 Pieces (€9.95) is one of those purchases you'll use for years; LED Balloons 5 pieces (€2.95) work well when it's already twilight at six o'clock.
September is also the month when you notice you're using different items at home than in July. Flashlights you haven't needed for half a year, for example. A Mini LED Dynamo Flashlight with Hand Crank (€14.95) doesn't need batteries – handy for the meter cupboard or your bike bag. A Powerbank 3000mAh (€14.95) can be placed in the bag you carry with you in the evening now.
October: Four Dates Close Together
October is the busiest month in this list. Four moments to note:
October 4 — Animal Day. Small and easy: something for the pet itself, like Cat Toy with Feathers 42 cm (€9.95).
October 5 — Teacher's Day. Often arranged by a parent class together. Agree on who will buy what and the budget per family; a small gift in a Luxury Gift Box 9x9 cm (€7.99) looks complete when presented together.
October 11 — Coming Out Day. This is increasingly visibly marked in schools, businesses, and associations. A pin is the smallest form: Progress Pride Flag Pin with Gold Edge (€7.95) or Rainbow Heart-shaped Pin (€7.95). If ordering for a group, allow for one extra business day for delivery and add 10% for spares.
Autumn Holiday. The date varies by region – check your school's calendar. What applies to everyone: one rainy day is enough to be happy about a game in the cupboard. The 99-in-1 Game Set (€14.95) and UNO Flex (€6.99) together cover most ages.
In the night from Saturday, October 24, to Sunday, October 25, the clock goes back one hour. From then on, it will be dark around half past five. That's the time to check your bike lights and to see if there's a corner in your house where you can't see anything at night.
October 31: Halloween Falls on a Saturday This Year
That makes a difference. Halloween on a weekday often remains limited to trick-or-treating; on a Saturday, parties are added, and it goes on later. Two practical consequences: you'll need more decorations than you think, and costumes in common sizes are often sold out in the last week.
Buy candy late. Not because it doesn't last long, but because an open supply in the house rarely survives a week.
November: Two Things on One Date
On Wednesday, November 11, children in large parts of the country walk door-to-door with lanterns for St. Martin's Day. On the same day, the carnival season begins at 11 minutes past 11. For the former, you need light and something to hand out; for the latter, the search for outfits for February begins – and that's precisely when the selection is still complete.
Gift evening (Sinterklaas) falls on Saturday, December 5. That seems far away, but two things will get stuck if you start them on December 1: gifts that need to be sent, and surprises for which you need boxes and tape. Set aside a few empty boxes in November and agree with your family or friends group before mid-November how you'll do it – drawing lots, budget, with or without a poem. That conversation takes ten minutes in November and saves three weeks of delay in December.
One last tip that applies throughout autumn: store Halloween, St. Martin's, and Sinterklaas decorations in separate, labeled boxes instead of one big bin. You won't want to rummage through your entire Christmas stash for one garland in November.
In Short
September 26: Neighborhood Day – decorations and an outdoor game
October 4 and 5: Animal Day and Teacher's Day – small gifts, arrange together
October 11: Coming Out Day – pins, order in time for groups
October 25: clock goes back one hour – check lighting
October 31: Halloween on Saturday – costumes three weeks in advance
November 11: St. Martin's Day and start of carnival season
November 27: Black Friday – stock up on packaging in advance
December 5: gift evening – arrange shipping and agreements in November
Do you want to see what's available for each occasion? Start with Halloween, Party & Dress Up, and Holidays. For games for the holiday week, there's Games, for pins Pins & Badges, and for everything that needs to be sent or packed Packing & Shipping. Unsure about quantities for a group or which box size suits your gift? Feel free to email info@verpakkingdeals.nl – we'll go through it with you before you order.
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