I could write a novel about how much I love the fall season. Crisp, fresh air, apple pies, deep vibrant colors dotting the trees. Yep, fall is pretty great. My husband and I like the season so much we decided to name our only daughter after it. It didn’t even matter that she was born in January, we decided Autumn was going to be her name. And yes, we are aware January does not actually occur during the fall season but darn it, Winter just didn’t seem the right name for her.
As you may know, the U.S. does everything big. Holidays, football games, even portions of food. The bigger, the better is our mentality and the fall season is no exception. We love fall in America. Everyone transitions from pansies and American flags to pumpkins and mums. We have parades, seasonal drinks, and even an entire holiday in honor of our beloved season. It’s as if all of the country transforms into orange, red, and yellow. And why shouldn’t we love the season? After all, it is an incredible time of year. If you ever have the privilege of driving through New England when the leaves are ablaze with color, you will know instantly why we love it so. People move to New England just for the fall season. I’m not kidding. That’s how spectacular it is. This time of year makes me nostalgic for our time spent in the Northeast. But that is a post for another day.
Today I am here to spread the word about all things fall in the U.S. Your insider’s guide, so to speak, about everything you should do in order to do the season justice and celebrate it big like us Americans.
√Get your craftiness on
First of all, start decorating early. After all, you want to take full advantage of all the season has to offer. I always decorate my house before the school year begins which is usually towards the end of August. I always justify decorating rather early by saying the start of school is the unofficial entrance of the fall season, so why not decorate accordingly? My entire house becomes a fall wonderland…wait, is that even a thing? Pumpkins, apples, and mums can typically be found both inside and out. I have boxes and boxes of decorations. Ok, I’ll admit I may get a bit carried away when I even add decorations to my bathrooms but come on, fall is just so great I don’t want to miss it anywhere I go.
√Treat yourself
Since all that decorating takes so much time and energy, make sure you recharge yourself with a pumpkin spice latte. In America, you can pretty much find pumpkin-flavored anything this time of year so finding a festive drink should be pretty easy to do. And go ahead, pile the whipped cream on top of that baby. It’s like a bonus treat when the coffee is all gone, and we all deserve a treat every once in a while, right?
√Shop!
Now that you are all sugared up, it’s time to hit your local farmer’s market. Now listen to this bit of advice very carefully. BUY EVERYTHING! I fill my car with pumpkins, hay bales, mums, you name it, and it never seems to be enough. Make sure you buy a variety. Big pumpkins, small pumpkins, green pumpkins, orange pumpkins. This is essential stuff people, don’t limit yourself by only one type of decoration. Just remember, you are doing like the Americans do…the bigger, the better.
√Become Betty Crocker
When you are done transforming your house into a red and gold Pinterest perfect picture, it’s time to turn to your sense of smell. Your home shouldn’t just look like fall, it should smell like fall. So get in the kitchen, flip on that oven, and fill your house with the scents of cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice. Yummm! You really can’t go wrong as long as you stick to the primary food groups of fall-pumpkin or apple. Bake anything that contains either of these two fall “superfoods,” and you will succeed immensely in pleasing your nose (and your tummy). Here’s an extra bonus! Click on this link for a delicious fall recipe: Fall Favorite Apple Crisp
√Get your hands dirty
Ok, your house is ready inside and out. Now what? It’s time to rake up a pile of leaves, of course. Take your time and get a big pile together right in the middle of your front yard. Then do as all self-respecting Americans would do. Walk to the end of your yard, turn around, and run full speed towards your leaf mountain. Lose all your abandon and leap into that pile of red, green and gold happiness. It’s ok if your neighbors watch you. Let them talk. After all, you know they secretly wish they were doing the same thing.
√Stuff yourself
Well, here you go again. You have worked so hard your stomach is rumbling. Now is the time to drop everything you are doing and head to an apple orchard. If you are like me, you will think, “I am not going to make an effort to go all the way out to an apple orchard just to pick a few apples.” No way. Instead, make this trip worth your while. When you leave your car (and your stomach) should be full of apples, apple cider donuts, and (most importantly), apple cider. In other words, your wallet should be empty, and you should feel as if you are going to throw up in order to know you have done the apple orchard justice.
√Eat your veggies
Next, you have two stops to make on your way home. Bath and Body Works, and the grocery store. Whew, this day is getting exhausting! I genuinely believe Bath and Body Works makes all of their money from August to December. Remember I told you the importance of things smelling like fall? Well, that’s where this store comes in. Grab a bag and fill it with soaps and candles to bring the smell of the season into your house. Yay for more apple, pumpkin, and cinnamon. I mean really, could you ever have too much of those smells floating through every room of your house? Next, hit the grocery store for a big old bag of candy corn. I go crazy over the stuff and usually have over candy-corned within a week or two so just remember to pace yourself!
√Get in the game
Another very important fall past-time in the States is football. This is typically the men’s favorite aspect of fall although I have known quite a few women who get more worked up over the game than the men. My favorite part of a football game is the snacks we eat while watching. You may remember the winning touchdown of the game, but I am going to remember that delicious queso and chips I couldn’t get into my belly fast enough. To each his own.
√Run!
To us, fall means cross country races. We loved getting up and out on a crisp fall morning to cheer our kids onto the finish line of a race. So go check out a cross-country race. If that isn’t your thing, sign up to run a race yourself. Fall is the perfect time to train for and run a race. Although if you are like me, you would rather cheer loudly from the sidelines. No judgment that works too. However, perhaps I should be running more races considering all the lattes and candy corn I have consumed. Hmm…
√Pick a pumpkin
And finally, visit a pumpkin patch. Who knows, perhaps you will get a visit from the Great Pumpkin. Haha. As if you didn’t have enough pumpkins from the farmer’s market already, right? Speaking of which, make sure you go home and watch It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown. That’s a must if you want to do as the Americans do.
There you have it, an American’s guide to fall. You’ve got a lot to do! So what are you waiting for? Now get out there and get festive. Oh, and on a side note, if you think this guide is extensive, just wait until Christmas. That season is in a league of its own!
The Bunch Abroad 
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