When it comes to seasons, fall is without a doubt my favorite one. There’s something about the crisp, cool autumn evenings, the burnt color of the leaves on the trees and the smell of pumpkin that always puts me in a good mood. When summer rolls around, I find myself counting down the days until I can enjoy my favorite fall pastimes again: attending football games with friends and family, visiting pumpkin patches and apple farms, shopping for sweaters and boots and stocking up on my favorite fall foods. Here are the five things that I am looking forward to the most:
1. Fall foods
As many of you might already know after reading an article I wrote last year on pumpkin treats, I love fall foods. Some of my favorite items are in season during the autumn months like sweet potatoes, apples, brussels sprouts, pomegranates and pumpkin, of course! Some of my favorite restaurants feature limited-edition fall menu items, too. Panera Bread will be rolling out a revamped, “clean” pumpkin spice latte this fall, and the company typically adds an autumn soup and salad with a few new bakery items to the menu. You can always count on Starbucks for its delicious pumpkin spice latte, too, and it should hit stores nationwide by early September. I don’t know about you, but I’m ready to enjoy a warm pumpkin latte on a cold morning – or a hot bowl of squash soup on a chilly night. Fall foods are the best! They warm my soul and my tummy.
2. Fall clothes
Sweaters, plaid shirts, boots, fuzzy socks… that is basically my fall wardrobe! When it comes to fashion, comfort is key for me. Of course I want to look presentable, but I also want to be comfortable, and nothing screams comfort like an oversized, button-down plaid shirt, a knit sweater and a pair of leggings. The cooler temperatures give me an excuse to finally wear my Patagonia pullovers again or my favorite Carolina sweatshirt. I think it’s time I head back to the mall for some fall shopping! You in?
3. Fall holidays
Two of my favorite holidays take place in the fall: Halloween and Thanksgiving! And fall also means that Christmas is right around the corner, which never fails to make me happy. I have always enjoyed Halloween since I was a little kid, and I still try to take my siblings trick-or-treating if I’m able to make it home that night. I love looking at all the creative costumes, and who can resist the Halloween candy? My favorite would have to be the Reese’s Peanut Butter Pumpkins. I’m also a huge fan of Disney’s Halloween-themed movies: Halloweentown is a must see! Some of my other favorites are Hocus Pocus and It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. The latter is a great movie to watch around Thanksgiving, too. Thanksgiving is a time of year that I always look forward to because my family can finally be together in one place. We always watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. And, of course, the food is fantastic!
4. Fall weather
I’ve spoken to this point earlier in this article, but fall weather is simply the best. Why? It’s the perfect mix between warm and cool. The mornings are nice and breezy, the leaves are slowly beginning to fall from the trees, the afternoons are pleasant and the evenings are perfect for a bonfire and some s’mores with friends. The winter is just too cold for me, but at least during the fall I can walk comfortably outside in a sweater or jacket. Plus, by the end of August, I’m sick of this summer heat in the South! Fall weather couldn’t come soon enough.
5. Fall adventures
What do I mean by a fall “adventure?” Well, there’s so much to do with friends and family during the fall! Go apple picking, visit a pumpkin patch, tour a haunted trail in October, have a Halloween-themed movie marathon, carve pumpkins, plan a photo-shoot with the autumn leaves, cook what’s in season… the list goes on and on! If you aren’t ready for fall after reading this article, I suggest you visit your local Yankee Candle or Bath and Body Works to stock up on pumpkin-scented candles and lotion. Then head to Target, where you can buy a new plaid shirt, Pillsbury’s famous Halloween sugar cookies and a cute mug for all the hot cocoa and apple cider that you can drink this season. Fall: I’m ready for you!
Tell me your favorite things about fall in the comments!