What are your autumn traditions?

[Cam2020]

Morning all,

I didn't want to post this in chat in case I get lynched by those clinging on to summer!

Inspired by a couple of autumn threads, what are your traditions? We don't have many, but they are: forest walks, pumpkin spice lattes and decorating the house for Halloween, getting sweets for local trick or treaters, which my 3 year old loves.

What do you like to do?

Oh, and sticky gingerbread for Bonfire Night.

That book looks like a great source of inspiration, thanks Dinosaur!

GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER we love a mince pie too! Sticky gingerbread sounds delicious!!

If anyone fancies knitting an autumn wreath, there’s a quick and easy wreath pattern on the Lovecrafts site - you need to search Christmas wreaths, though - it’s the one with a big yellow bow and a rather scary looking elf. (I’ve made 3 Christmassy ones, but with different decorations.) Made with 2 strands of DK on big fat needles. Would look v nice IMO in autumnal colours.

For knitted leaves on that site there’s a pattern called Little Leafy Snack Sacks, though obv. you wouldn’t do the sacks. Both downloadable.

We always go and pick a pumpkin, we have some lovely photos of ds over the years doing this. We have planted some pumpkin seeds this year but will probably have moved home before we get a chance to pick them.
We decorate for Halloween which my ds loves, we have previously had Halloween parties which have been fab. We also take ds trick or treating which is so much fun.
I get out my autumn smelling candles and bring out my autumnal clothing from storage. And finally my ds takes me on a hunt for conkers.

I forgot to add I get out my Halloween dvds I save these for autumn. Ds also has child friendly Halloween dvds. I love watching these with a glass of dissarano or a hot chocolate.

Halloween -
Pick pumpkins and carve
decorate, have some of the kids friends round for Halloween themed party food and then trick or treating around the village

Fireworks night - next village over (that’s also catchment for kids primary school so everyone knows everyone as very rural so thier school encompasses about 4 small villages) firework night at village hall with bonfire and live music etc. Everyone goes, safe enough to let kids run around in the dark with thier friends.

December - loads of Christmas type things, going to forest to pick a tree (forestry commission cut them down for you to choose from), Christmas parties in the village hall, Xmas shopping, nights out etc

I'm not a huge fan of scary so I prefer to go autumnal rather than all out for Halloween but must admit love the spooky gingerbread house idea - I'm totally pinching that!

For those asking for the Christmas pudding vodka recipe this is the one I use and works the same for gin too www.google.com/amp/s/www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/christmas_pudding_vodka_45343/amp

• New winter sweaters,
• new wellies for ds if last year’s don’t fit.
• Use the log burner to delay using the central heating
• clear & replant the veg patch
• Abandon salads for stews
• Porridge rather than fruit for breakfast
• Fruit pies & crumbles -we have fruit trees
• Blackberry picking & bottling
• Collecting hazel nuts, toasting them and packing them in jars with honey
• new eye/lip colours
• discovering again that I’m hopeless at finding winter clothes that are stylish AND warm.
• starting Xmas shopping

Collecting clinkers
Art with leaves we collect in a walk
Funghi spotting walkA
Pumpkin picking and carving
Halloween
Scouts bonfire night
We finish up with Dinovember, which nicely leads from Autumn celebrations to the start of advent.

I don't really have any traditions for autumn really apart from planning for Christmas. Celebrating Halloween. And of course being in my pajamas by 7pm each night with my hot waterbottle and a good feel movie or book 😂 I might take some inspiration from this post! I like the idea of making your own vodka and gin. Might give that a go!

We love autumn and as a dual national family we celebrate Canadian Thanksgiving (2nd Monday in October) which is a highlight and starts off the season. The house is decorated with pumpkins on the porch and a wreath plus a few touches inside. We do a full turkey dinner with typical north American side dishes and then things like mulled cider and pumpkin pie. Halloween is also massive in our house too.

I just went into Homesense and they've started to put their Autumn & Halloween bits out!!!🍁🎃🍂🎃