I opened the front door this morning and did a happy dance as a crisp, gentle breeze brushed past my cheek. After a sweltering summer, there is nothing quite like the feeling of fall peeking its head around the corner.
Cooler weather aside, I love everything about autumn. The changing colors, cozy layers, comfort food, and sweet and spicy flavors. With activities like apple picking, pumpkin patches, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and gathering to watch sports, there’s also an emphasis on family time and making special memories with loved ones. It all makes me feel nostalgic, relaxed, hopeful, and glad.
As we head into fall, I wanted to share with you some of my personal favorites I’ll be enjoying and indulging in all season long.
1. Fall Music
I was scrolling through Spotify and came across a “Fall Feels” Playlist that I can’t stop listening to. We don’t hesitate to blast Christmas carols from November to January so it makes sense to have designated fall music this time of year. With everything from Ed Sheeran to Billie Holiday, it’s full of folksy, bluesy, soft pop that will add instant calm to your autumn days.
2. Caramel Apple Cider
I know that the rest of the country was counting down to pumpkin spice latte time, but my fall drink of choice is a hot caramel apple cider. Although I discovered this at Starbucks when I was in middle school, it’s very easy to duplicate at home. You just mix together steamed apple juice or cider, brown sugar cinnamon syrup, and caramel sauce. My kids always ask to take it a step further with whipped cream and an extra drizzle of caramel. It’s so sweet and delicious!
3. Cookie Butter
If you’ve never had cookie butter, just imagine the smooth texture of creamy peanut butter and the taste of a cinnamon cookie. While I like spreading cookie butter on toast or using it as a dip for apple slices and pretzels, I know people who just eat it by the spoonful. Consider yourself warned, once you take a bite, it’s nearly impossible to stop.
4. Shackets
After you get past the silly name, it’s hard not to become obsessed with a shacket. I wore one almost every day last fall and I couldn’t wait for cooler temps this year to pull it out of the closet again. It’s the perfect layer because it feels like you’re wrapped in a light blanket and is super versatile. I wear my shacket more casually with jeans, a basic tee, and white sneakers, or elevate it with a formfitting dress and knee-high boots.
5. Sunset Walks
Fall is my favorite season to spend time outside. Now that the temperatures are cooling off, my family has been trying to take more evening strolls through our neighborhood. If we go right after dinner, the sky is a beautiful mix of purple and orange and we find plenty of crunchy leaves to step on. It’s such a peaceful way to breathe in fresh air, enjoy nature, and end the day together.
What are your favorite fall related things?
