As the summer season slowly dwindles away, rain clouds the sunshine and leaves turn into crimson shades of red and orange, it is exciting to start getting into the fall spirit. This time of year is a time of scarves, hot drinks and achieving the perfect amount of coziness. People will start to pack away their summer clothes and bringing out their knit sweaters and knee-high socks, placing small ornaments of pumpkins on their mantels and planning on how to be the spookiest house in the neighbourhood. Personally, it’s a season I look forward to every year. The palette of colours, the persistent rain, the fall smelling candles makes my heart feel cuddled. However, the weather changes and shorter days might bring a cloud of gloominess over some people’s heads and make this difficult and demotivating time ever harder to get through. It is important to stay safe and follow COVID-19 restrictions as per health official’s advice, but also stay family oriented and not stay isolated unless specifically required to. The fall and winter months are not cozy times for everyone, and we should all strive to take care of each other and check in as the months get colder and darker.
There is nothing better than waking up on a fall morning, cocooned in blankets, to the sound of the rain hiding the pavement outside and smell of coffee wafting from the kitchen into your bedroom. The perfect start to a cozy day. The family all gathers around the fireplace while some classic movies play on the television, and everyone sips on their coffee and eat their pumpkin bread. You all whisper and plan for the season ahead; the pumpkin patch you’ll visit, the treats you’ll make, how you’ll decorate the porch for trick or treaters, the movies you’ll watch. The reality of the world outside of your bubble will disappear and the rest of this year will go by blissfully with the wind and you’ll be glad you made the most out of the season but had also stayed safe and sound.
As stressful days and overwhelming loads of work pass you by throughout the week, just look forward to pumpkin carving contests with friends. Everyone will gather around the dining room table, with your favourite records playing in the background and nice hot mug of apple cider, maybe spiked if you’re old enough, and laugh and catch up on all the crazy and stressful things that went on during the week. However, that all leaves your mind as you start plotting the best pumpkin design, that will be surely to win against everyone. You all spend hours scooping out pumpkin guts and stabbing pumpkins with knives while laughing at your friends designs and drinking way too many mugs of apple cider. Sometimes all it takes is some good company and good drinks to make some of the best memories. And as Halloween approaches, you’re guaranteed to have the best and most original pumpkins in the neighbourhood.
Fall is also the perfect time of year to start binging spooky movies, the classics such as Halloweentown and Hocus Pocus or some more frightening hits such as the Shinning and Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Movie nights are a must during the fall season as the classic halloween movies are finally coming back onto everyone’s screens. Making some halloween themed treats with your friends, with buckets of popcorn, mugs of hot chocolate and making forts are the ultimate ways to enjoy the perfect movie night. These are the nights i look forward to the most, especially as halloween approaches. Unfortunately, it becomes inappropriate and unacceptable to treat or trick as an adult, so having a movie night is a perfect alternative. You can hand out handy to trick or treaters while still enjoying a night of spooky fun with your own friends.
Sometimes picking up a new hobby is just what you need to get through the start of a new school semester, or a hard work week. Taking the time in the morning as you wake up to read a few pages of a spooky book or meditating can make the world of difference for the rest of your day. You can learn to knit so that you can finally gift someone a handmade gift for Christmas, or a schedule a few hours out of your work week sometimes to bake something delicious to send to your family or friends, or just enjoy yourself. These are some great ways to get into the fall spirit and also into a healthier mindset about your current reality.
Some great ways to enjoy the next coming months is to surround yourself with people who bring happiness into your life and take part in festive activities whenever possible. The simplest things can make a huge difference in your day. Bring 2020 into a close with better memories to replace the bad ones that some of us have made this year and fill the holiday months with love and happiness.