Who here is in full support of fall officially being voted the best season of the year? Think about it. You don’t have the chaos of Christmastime that involves both attending and planning party after party all while trying to find the perfect gift for everyone on your list.
There’s a certain kind of relaxed self-indulgence to the autumn season that makes it the ideal time to really savor the activities you enjoy, most especially extra time with family and friends creating your own traditions.
With that extra time in mind, why not start some new family traditions this fall season that you can look forward to every single season? Let the planning begin!
Take full advantage of all the outdoor spooky-themed activities with your loved ones.
When you think about getting outdoors in the fall, you might immediately think of heading out on a hike to scope out all of the beautiful fall foliage. That is definitely something to consider, but there are actually so many other cool things you can do outside with your family in the fall months.
For instance, have you ever thought of taking the kids to a corn maze? Depending on where you live, there are usually at least one or two local farms or orchards that put on spooky corn mazes. You can stop and get some hot chocolate or cider on the way there and then giggle and freak out when you get lost.
You might also consider making a tradition of attending a haunted hayride. There are lots out there that are kid-friendly, and you can all load up on an old truck that’s filled with hay bales in the back while you cruise along and scope out some scares.
Also, you could always get a friend group together for a fall-themed picnic. One person could make a main, like baked ham or even turkey sandwiches, and all of the other sides and desserts have to taste and feel autumnal. We can already taste the pumpkin pie!
Allow the month of November to be all about gratitude.
With the December holiday season being all about giving, why not make the month of November about gratitude? After all, it’s a super-important emotion to grasp, especially as you’re growing older.
For the school-age kids, you could make a gratitude paper chain using orange, yellow, and red construction paper and write something on each piece that you’re grateful for every day. Not only does it serve as a cute autumn decoration, but it also helps put things in perspective for family members young and old.
You could also band together with some family friends and make it a tradition to put your money where your mouth is and volunteer your time. Whether you sign up to help out at a food bank or meal center, it can be such an incredible bonding experience to volunteer your time and help others who are in need.
Fall baking is the absolute best, so why not do it all, from pies and cakes to canning?
Are you an apple, pecan, or pumpkin pie kind of person at heart? It can be quite a polarizing subject, but there is one surefire way to find out the answer, and it basically involves baking and a lot of taste testing.
Now, you don’t have to make it a weekly affair to get into the kitchen and make a total mess of everything, but you could set up a date with friends to do a pie exchange during the autumn season. Through that process, you would have the opportunity to get your kids and partner in the kitchen and try out all the pie recipes, from apple to pecan to pumpkin.
The fall baking doesn’t have to stop with pies. It can be fun to try canning together during the fall months as well, because then you’ll have plenty of fruit and vegetable preserves for the long winter months.
Also, if you have a four-legged furry friend in your life, you could also have the kids help make some of these senior dog-friendly fall recipes, which include everything from chicken cookies to sweet potato chews.
When things get a little too cold, set up a monthly game night with friends.
During November and December when it begins to get snowy and cold outside, it could be a great time to call your friends and dust off your board games. You could even set up a monthly or bi-weekly date on the calendar if you’re feeling really competitive.
You could set up different themes as well. If it’s the kids’ choice for one of the game nights, they might opt for a game night filled with hours of Monopoly, Battleship, and Connect Four. The next week, it could be more active games that get you off the couch, like Twister and charades.
Another week, everyone could learn a completely new game, because it can be just as much fun to go through the motions of something new together as a group.
