General
- New tea year!, which gives a fresh, festive mood!
- 紅葉狩り: viewing of the red leaves, held outside; with the 炉 dug out of the ground.
炉開き
- 畳 are refaced, new paper on the sliding doors in preparation of the 口切り茶事 and opening of 炉 called 開炉（かいろ）or 炉開き（ろ びらき）.
- The date is not fixed, but 利休 says 炉開き should be when the ゆず turns yellow. Ideally, it's when it's slightly cold, so it's more touching.
- Because of the change to 炉, a whole bunch of different 道具 are used, which refreshes the mood.
- At 炉開き, there should be always something 織部 (even if it's just 織部饅頭 as sweets).
- Also, 亥の子餅 are traditionally served here, because they ward against fire.
点前
- 壺飾り, of course!
- I also like to practise 点前 that are specifically tea related to highlight the fact that we're originally opening a new batch of tea here: 茶通箱 and 和巾.
道具 and 御銘
- Traditionally, 三べ are used at 炉開き: 織部, ふくべ and 備前 (which used to be called いんべ).
- HY23 used a 老松 茶器, which I paired with せき松葉 as a 御銘.
- 小雪（しょう せつ) (little snow)
- 冬の朝（ふゆ の あさ）(cold winter morning）
- 小春 (when the weather is spring-like)
- 木枯し — I love this name, and there's also a sweet by this name.
懐石
- Chestnuts are a big topic, as 八寸, for example, or as sweets, of course.
花
- Mittwer proposes Job's tears, shrubby althea, aster, agrimony, and butterfly bush
- Sen in Chadō proposes camelia
