As much as I like the idea of autumn – yomping through russet and gold leaves in designer welly boots whilst a crisp, apple-scented breeze ripples through my conker-coloured curls – I am not such a fan of the rain-soaked reality.
The fleeting pleasure of entering the season of hot chocolate and snuggly jumpers does nothing to off-set the sheer horror of sticky mud, chapped lips and that true nightmare before Christmas AKA putting the clocks back.
This year, I’m just getting a whiff of something in the air this autumn and, for once, it’s not just farm silage and soggy leaves smouldering on the neighbour’s bonfire.
Rather than heralding the start of a moan-fest about the arrival of dark nights/bad weather (which would be unfair as the start of October was hotter than July in the UK) there seems to be a nationwide agreement that it’s time to ditch the ‘woe-is-me – it’ll soon be winter’ mentality and go all out not only to tolerate but to celebrate the season of mists, mellow fruitfulness and frizzy hair.
And it’s helping me to get over the usual end-of-summer slump.
Last week (9th-15th October) my dog walks were cheered up enormously by the amount of autumn wreaths on doors and pumpkins on door-steps. I didn’t even grumble when I found myself stumbling over piles of pumpkins, squashes and gourds in the door way of the supermarket or groan at the range of autumn-themed homewares including pumpkin-coloured baths mats, wellington boot vases and bed sheets with a mushroom motif.
You only have to look at social media to see there are thousands of UK-based Instagrammers who have decided to either decorate their homes for fall and/or – like the lady I saw in real life sticking spiders (hopefully fake) to her garage door on October 1st – celebrate Halloween not just on the eve of the 31st but for 31 days.
So why are we Brits so eager to celebrate the arrival of autumn this year?
“I welcome any excuse to put up some decorations,” says Amber Hopkins of London, who runs the picture perfect Hoppy House instagram account which celebrates seasonal decor.
“I grew up in a household that celebrates the seasons. Back then, our decorations were usually picked up on family road trip holidays around the US as you couldn’t get many fall decorations here. I’m an autumn baby myself. I love the colours this time of year brings, so I try to encourage our kids to embrace this time of year by collecting leaves and conkers for crafting and decorating our home.”
Amber admits it’s not just her children who begin a countdown to Halloween when the calendar turns to October.
“We are as bad as each other when it comes to OTT decorations,” explains Amber (see her Instagram account for details of her handmade Halloween creations and bargain buys (find similar bats on Amazon).
“I also don’t want our decorations to be scary as we have so many little ones in the neighbourhood. Instead we embrace ‘happy’ Halloween – friendly scarecrows with a Wizard of Oz theme, lots of pumpkins, autumn leaves, apples etc. I am also conscious of costs. We don’t change our theme which means I can bring it all out again next autumn. The kiddies love seeing Dorothy and Scarecrow each year – it’s like they’re old friends!”
It’s not just Amber and her family who have fallen in love with fall. Well over 2,000 visitors were equally keen to celebrate all-things-autumn at the annual Pumpkins and Presents (P&P) weekend event which was hosted at Whirlow Hall Farm, Sheffield earlier this month (October 7/8th).
Artisan dried flower florist, Angie Ford of @jackdawfinds, and Lou Renfree who sells ‘lovely things’ from her website @chalet_at_home (and from her shop at Millers Dale, Derbyshire), have been running the idyllic autumnal lifestyle event for seven years now.
“It showcases artisanal makers and independent businesses selling gorgeous things in a countryside setting and raises money for charity,” Angie explains.
“Plus, there’s always delicious food and drinks. This year Marmadukes (cafe/bakery) of Sheffield did a pop-up selling delicious lunches as well as pastries, cakes, fizz, beer and sourdough bread to take home.”
Angie and Lou’s ‘pumpkin family’ (stallholders and visitors alike) has been expanding steadily year on year.
‘P&P originally happened in and around our own oak lambing barn, up in the hills of the Peak District, but it eventually outgrew our small farm,’ Angie recalls.
‘I’m certain people are embracing nature and the changing seasons more and more and love bringing the outdoors into their homes.’
Angie and Lou are also autumn devotees. The P&P event is held on the first weekend of October for a reason.
“It’s a time which marks the golden moment between summer and autumn,” says Angie.
“Many of the stallholders sell things which inspire visitors to embrace their homes and start to cosy things up ahead of the winter months.”
Angie and Lou are delighted so many people share their passion for pumpkins; each one sold raises money for the Dog’s Trust.
“For several years, Charlie and Frankie of @villagepumpkinspyo in Barlow have generously donated heaps of colourful pumpkins, with all proceeds going to the Dog’ Trust, the UK’s largest dog’s welfare charity. This year we raised a little over £1555, ” says Lou.
“The weekend is the perfect lead into a lovely autumn,”
Pumpkin and Presents raises money for Dog’s Trust . If you fancy visiting the event next October, keep an eye on their Instagram feed for announcements of future dates and stallholders @pumpkinsandpresents
Are you ready to fall in love with fall?
With the help of some clever crafters and some of my favourite Instagram stylists and creators, I’ve put together a guide on everything you need to celebrate the coolest season of the year.
The tips will take you all the way from here (October 16th) to Halloween and beyond.
In the spirit of sustainability, most of the recommendations for decor and activities will be free, handmade, foraged (yikes) re-cycled or bought secondhand or from discount shop bargains.
But first – let’s first dispense with a couple of inevitable quibbles…
Isn’t celebrating fall a bit too American?
Strictly speaking, yes (although I’m sure our Canadian cousins would beg to disagree) but if you’re using ‘It’s too American’ that as an excuse for not buying your children a monster pumpkin in September – please bear in mind the term ‘fall’ was widely used in England until the late 1600s.
Further back, the English called this time of year ‘harvest’ as this was the season when most people were busy gathering in their food supplies and livestock.
Small wonder so many fall decorations have links to harvest – think pumpkins, wheat sheaves, corncobs, scarecrows – and why, like our farming forebears, we see fall/autumn as a time for bunkering down and making our homes snug, safe and warm for winter.
For more history on which came first, autumn or fall, visit Dictionary.com.
Isn’t it a little early for pumpkins?
Absolutely not.
In America, pumpkins displays on porches and mantels mark the arrival of ‘fall’ and celebrate harvest-time – so if you haven’t got your gourds out by now, you’re a little late.
According to;-
meteorologists – fall/autumn starts on September 1st and lasts until the end of November.
astronomers – autumn’s arrival coincides with the autumn equinox which happened on September 23rd this year and the season will last until the winter solstice on the 22nd of December.
Christine Higgs, who runs the fabulous IG account @forthehome from her home in Cleveland, Ohio, has been known to start decorating for fall in August. In a post on August 1st this year – which attracted 55.5k likes – Christine admitted that, while others were thinking of beaches, ‘I have fall on my mind.’
’I’m with you’ was just one of the many approving responses. ‘Fall, pumpkins, sweaters, soup, leaves, fire pit nights, hot toddies = love.”
Falling for fall part one; decorating your home
I have a grudging respect for Pam @marthascountrypad who popped a solitary pumpkin in her front garden last week (October 13th) and pronounced her Halloween decorations ‘Done’.
For some, putting up a small russet leaved wreath on the front door is quite enough seasonal show-boating thank you. On the other side of the spectrum, there’s the ‘I don’t care what the neighbour’s think – I AM putting a life-size haywain on the front lawn’ brigade.
It’s really doesn’t matter whether you skip boldly or tip-toe tentatively into your fall decorating; if someone passes your house in the driving rain and smiles at the giant pair of googly-eyes in the bush outside your house (I saw this on one of my dog walks recently) you’ve done a nice thing.
Looking for inspiration?
Look in magazines, watch movies (the autumn themed movie is a thing – search out Hallmark channel – The “fall” into love) if you don’t believe me. Go window shopping. If this feels too much like hard work, browse social sites like Pinterest and Instagram.
Here’s three of my favourite fall decorating trends.
Product & Lifestyle Shoot for @jordhome
Photography @miss_sammiedesigns
Concept & Styling @klarabromley_stylist
Simple but oh-so stylish.
As a freelance stylist, Klara Bromley is often called upon to create autumn scenes for client photo shoots and offers the following advice for those who want to emulate this perfect, pared-down aesthetic for autumn.
“I’d recommend choosing a selection of white and green tones for your pumpkins this year,” Klara says.
“Cluster together in odd numbers, whilst utilising a variety of sizes to help curate your mantle decor. Lay your pumpkin selection on a bed of eucalyptus stems to soften in a simple, yet elegant manner, and finish by interspersing a selection of candles to optimise the impact.”
Keep any additions ‘peaceful and seasonal’ – and Klara says you will end up with; “A simple, understated, yet beautifully impactful scene within your home this season.”
Whimsical and romantic
The Utah home of Emily Traxler (creator of the most dreamy Instagram account le.cultivateur) is brimming with nostalgic charm. Whilst Emily enjoys decorating with pumpkins, ghosts and witches’s hats to celebrate fall – the resulting scheme is more cosy cottage than haunted house.
“I also love adding some cosy vibes as the days are getting shorter and a bit cooler — candles, throw blankets and pillows and warm textures,” says Emily when I ask how to emulate her style.
“My favourite way to bring a touch of fall (or any season) into my home is to look at nature. In the fall, I love to bring in leaves as they change into beautiful autumn colours plus pinecones, acorns, pumpkins, seasonal flowers etc.”
While Emily enjoys styling and crafting items for her home (see Emily’s instructions for making the pink ghost cushion below) she’s keen to stress that fall decor doesn’t have to be ‘complicated’.
“Sometimes a beautiful wreath and a few pumpkins are enough to create a cosy fall vibe.”
Emily’s wreath (in the picture collage top left) was bought from @oliveandcocoa (US shipping only).
Full-on falloween*
*falloween n. an extended celebration or observance of Halloween often beginning several weeks before the day
I won’t be telling you how to decorate for Halloween. Halloween has its roots in Celtic festivals performed in Britain for 2,000 years. We should have got the hang of it by now. How you want to decorate (or not) depends on personal taste and how many plastic skeletons you keep in your cupboard.
For a definitive guide on how to stealthily transition your elegant fall decor into full-on Halloween exuberance, I must direct you to a masterclass by lifestyle blogger Chelsee Hood (above).
Chelsee creates her ‘fall’ porch in September and starts to add Halloween items throughout October.
“Fall decor? I like to put it up in early September so I can enjoy it for as long as possible,” admits Chelsee, on her fabulous show-and-tell blog The House of Hood.
“But, when I asked Ryan (husband) to get my Jack-o-lanterns down, he gave me a dirty look and told me our neighbours would think we were nuts if we started putting Halloween up now. Ok, I’ll start with Fall then. I will actually keep all of this decor up and gradually add in Halloween… then I’ll keep it up through November.”
Falling for fall part two; decorating without spending a fortune
You really don’t have to be an interior designer with glue gun licence to decorate for fall, nor should it cost a bucketful of cash.
You’ll be able to pick up all the leaves, wind-fall and foliage you need to scatter on your mantle or around your porch on country walks (my pockets are currently stuffed full of acorns, conkers and oak leaves) .
Pick up bits in charity shops or discount shops like TK Maxx and re-purpose items you already own – wicker baskets, candlesticks, vases, blankets and old books – to create a fall/spooky tableaux. Add ribbons, fake cobwebs, candles and those aforementioned stick-on bats from Amazon.
You don’t have to spend big. The basic vibe is warm, minimalist and simple. Light some candles, put some Chinese lantern stems in a vase and pile rosy red apples in a bowl and hey presto – you’ve created a perfect fall scene.
Best of all, you can DIY some decorations.
Before getting to six-of-the-best cheap (and ridiculously easy) falloween crafts, we need to have a discussion about whether you can source those key seasonal items on a budget, namely pumpkins and wreaths.
pumpkins – My friend Nikki Walker tells me you can grow-your-own Jack O’ Lanterns by planting the seeds from this year’s pumpkins. ‘Stick them in a sunny, sheltered spot in the veg’ patch in the spring and you’ll have a crop of pumpkins by autumn – it’s easy’. Now, talking as someone who could kill a dried flower, I not even tempted to try this. You have my full permission to buy a pumpkin as it is sustainable just so long as you eat it.
If you have the cash, pumpkin farms are fabulous but it’s cheaper to buy pumpkins etc from the supermarket or greengrocer…99p IB from my local shop (the ‘fancy’ multi-coloured ones). If you just want a standard pumpkin for the kids to butcher; you’ll get very large specimen for under £2 at Tesco.
wreaths – the person who told me I could make an autumn wreath for free by foraging in the hedgerows FIBBED.
I don’t know what sort of hedgerows this person frequents but mine are certainly not full of eucalyptus stems and sunflowers never mind mini pumpkins.
The best advice I can give any novice is to go to a wreath-making workshop (see above) or buy a basic pre-decorated wreath and add your free foraged finds and tell everyone it’s something you whipped up after ‘picking up a bit of bracken’ on a lusty walk.
Six simple and cheap handmade decorations….
- Boo pillow dupe created by Emily @le.cultivateur
- Yarn Ghost Garland tutorial by Lisa on Country Girl’s Life
- Sock pumpkins created by Ellen at Bellewood Cottage
- Concrete and paint makeover for up-cycling cheap pumpkin ornaments by Katie of Little House of Four
- Book page ghost garland by Michelle at Thistle Key Lane
- Bubbling cauldron – a viral phenomenon – created by Aurelie @aurelie.erikson
Falling for fall part three; your fall bucket list
The other thing Americans love during the fall season is seeking out autumn-themed activities….think visits to pumpkin farms, ghost towns and apple orchards.
If this sounds like your cup of chai spiced latte, here’s my seasonal ‘bucket list’.
1. Curl up in a favourite armchair with a chilling read – anything by Neil Gaiman or Stephen King or go old school; Dracula (Bram Stoker), Women in White (Wilkie Collins). Or delve into a cosy romance set in Autumn (An Autumn Crush by Milly Johnson) or re-visit a classic which seems to fit the season – Rebecca (Daphne Du Maurier), Anne of Green Gables ( L.M. Montgomery) The Secret Garden (Frances Hodgson Burnett). Just add hot chocolate, thick socks and a soft wool blanket.
2. Thrift a sweater (confession; I stole this idea from artist Brooklyn Swenson; details below) – speaking as someone who buys most of her clothes secondhand, I’d advise novices to thrift sweaters in a charity shop or similar as you need to check for bobbles and piling (it’s usually in places you can’t see on eBay photos). Don’t forget to show some love to the sweaters you already own – remove any piling (with teeny tiny sewing scissors) hand-wash and dry on a line, weather permitting.
3. Make soup – there isn’t a soup in the world in a tin or carton that compares with sweating some veggies in a pan, throwing on some stock with herbs/spices and sticking the end product in a blender to make soup. There’s no tastier place to start than with pumpkin soup
4. Attend an autumn-themed food event or a farmer’s market – here in Derbyshire, most of the small towns have farmer’s markets and we even have a local autumn beer festival.
5. Kick up a pile of leaves – or collect some to dry and then make your own leaf garland, add them to wreaths or just scatter around your pumpkin displays. See WikiHow for how to dry your leaves.
6. Have a hot chocolate with marshmallows – or, darn it all, try one of those fancy America drinks like Pumpkin Spice Latte.
7. Go walking in the rain – if you have the right clothes on for the weather (a truly waterproof coat and walking boots are game-changers) then go splash in some puddles.
8. Bake!– it doesn’t need to be a six-tier show-stopper cake, just something simple but devilishly moreish like these Halloween biscuits
9. DIY some Halloween decorations (see crafts above) – a garland really is a perfect entry level craft.
10. Sneak some Halloween bits into your fall decorations – spiders, cobwebs, bats are fine but leave the scariest surprises for Halloween itself.
11. Put candles everywhere…there are some very cheap autumn fragrance candles out there (I bought mine from Morrisons supermarket. Called ‘Revive’; they have notes of jasmine, orange and amber). The jars are re-useable as tea-light holders.
12. Buy some apples – English apples are at their best this time of year. The apple isn’t just for crumble; my own personal favourite apple dish is mustardy pork and apples. It used to be believed that – if you ate an apple whilst brushing your hair in front of a mirror on All Hallow’s Eve – the face of your future love would reveal itself in the glass. Alternatively, fill a bucket with water and have fun bobbing for apples with your current loved ones.
13. Watch a scary movie – it can be something tame and child-friendly – Ghostbusters/Hocus Pocus, Hammer House of Horror camp or just dead funny – Shaun of the Dead, Gremlins or my personal fave An America Werewolf in London. Or go for something genuinely scary – Carrie, The Omen, Psycho. I don’t recommend slasher movies…it’s always the things you can’t see that are far more chilling. Take Jaws; as soon as the dodgy plastic shark appears, the movie loses all the tension built by that soundtrack. Here’s a great list from Empire Magazine; don’t have nightmares.
14. Make your own Halloween costume – one of the best I’ve seen this year was just a charity shop suit worn covering the head with a hat, glasses etc on a wire and voilà – you’re the invisible man, or are you? Customise a dress/outfit you own (see picture above) and create scary widow, bat woman, Wednesday Addams or Tippi Hedren (The Birds). Then pop it on and throw a Halloween party or wear it to answer the door to the neighbourhood kids but please make the outfit child-friendly – think Casper, not Kruger.
Artist Brooklyn Swenson has created a really cute ‘Autumn Bucket List’ – (buy a digital copy here)
So that’s it – Jolly Volley’s guide to falling in love with fall.
All that remains for me to do is to tell you to wrap up warm and have some fun with it.
And remember, you can get playful with pumpkins and toy bats even if you don’t have children. It’s okay to be a bit childish now and then – it’s joyful. To paraphrase Einstein, ‘Do not grow old, as long as you live’.
In fact, whilst researching this piece I read lots of articles (here’s one I recommend) which argued that embracing fall – and mucking about with pumpkins – is really, really good for you. In a nutshell, as we become more isolated – due to working from home, lack of socialising and our social media habits – we often turn our back on nature/our wider community which has a detrimental effect on our well-being.
Celebrating the natural environment by creating an idyllic rustic scene in and around our homes is actually very good for the soul.
I can’t finish without thanking all the people who often gave me a large slice of their time helping with this feature. As always proves to be the case, if you want something done – ask a busy person.
