It’s undeniable, the way our senses reawaken and we shift to different patterns in the autumn months. Whether it’s the smell of baking spices or fallen leaves – or a tendency to feel more connected to the cozy comforts of home and family – the season is special and often inspires annual traditions. What fall fun is in store for you? We have five great ideas that will bring you together with your loved ones!
There are some days when the absolute best answer is to hop in the car and simply drive wherever the road takes you. When fall foliage is making an appearance, all the better! Don’t leave the best views entirely to chance as you head out on the highway for leaf peeping – we’ve found this great guide from the folks at Real Simple magazine that describes where to find the best color, state by state.
Autumn has a way of making us want to slow down a bit and enjoy a little coziness. Take the opportunity to invite a small group of friends to a spontaneous front porch party, with plenty of fun and enjoyment of good company without all the planning. Put out a few throw blankets and have a leisurely visit in rockers or camp chairs, while you wave at the neighbors. Decorate a simple card table with a colorful tablecloth and a pretty table runner, nibble on a few snacks from baskets lined with festive fall-themed towels and toast each other with warm mugs full of something delicious. Remember, porch parties are not about perfection…they’re about being together.
If you’re like a lot of people, you feel a little pang of jealousy when spring rolls around and you start seeing beautiful flowers popping up…and realize you’re way too late to get those same results. The trick is to plant bulbs in the fall to bring on spring color. The cooler weather makes the task a lot less challenging than summer planting, and the outcome will prompt great anticipation a few months later. Take a look at The Old Farmer’s Almanac guide for which flowering bulbs are best to plant in the fall, according to where you live.
Find a pumpkin patch and take friend or family pictures during the “golden hour” to get the most amazing photos. If you’ve ever noticed images with incredible warm, soft light that creates an almost surreal quality, you can thank science. The golden hour (otherwise known as the “magic hour”) is a fleeting period of time just after sunrise or right before sunset when the sun is low on the horizon and atmospheric particles filter the light. Combine the golden sunlight with bright orange pumpkins, and you have a perfect recipe for gorgeous photos. Here’s a handy calculator to help you find out when the golden hour will be happening on a particular date for your location, thanks to the Cambridge in Color website.
Do you remember the excitement of craft days in elementary school? For many of us, it’s fun to recall the nostalgic smell of crayons, glue and construction paper—and the whole class making cheerful handprint Thanksgiving turkeys or jack-o-lanterns to hang on the wall outside of the classroom. Do yourself and a child you know (it doesn’t have to be your own child!) a wonderful favor and surprise them by creating a fall-themed craft. You’ll be making memories that will last when you have everyone put aside the electronics, sit down together and actually spend time getting a little messy and creative. For inspiration, Country Living magazine has some excellent ideas for fall crafts that bring great results, even for little hands.
Regardless of what you do with your free time and how you nurture relationships with those you care about, don’t overthink it. Fall is about letting go a little bit, remembering how to take deeper breaths, and savoring the changing season. Enjoy!