It’s everyone’s favourite time of year and, by everyone, I mean us sweater-harvesting pumpkin-praisers, the lovers of chlorophyll-impaired maple leaves. Fall marks a time of change like the rest of her seasonal siblings with overcast skies, shortened days and longer nights, and scenes painted in burnt orange and golden yellows. While we know her best for her trick-or-treats and agricultural abundance, fall is more than the science behind a little colour shift. For some, it’s a time for lunar festivals and Greek myth as Persephone returns to her post as Queen of the Underworld. For others, it’s the season that brings us back to the sublime with melancholy poets like Yeats and Stevens. And, for a select animated few, it’s downing large quantities of alcohol on a German holiday while sporting a lederhosen costume.
But let’s dig deeper for a moment.
With fall’s arrival, she brings a metamorphosis in the natural world but also one within ourselves. While that may seem a little introspective, it’s something worth mulling over when we think about how in tune we are with these seasonal transformations. Take a look at winter, closing the year with all its troubles and treasures. What about spring? Hopping along to remind us that we always have the opportunity to reinvent and bud anew. And good ‘ole summer swings in with long sunny days and asks us to put those New Year’s resolutions and newfound green thumbs into practice.
But fall is a quieter thing. She is one of slow transitions, small reflections and cultivates inward thinking. Perhaps this is why she’s a favourite of the introverts. We resort to pulling out sweaters and scarves from our cobweb corners, not only to protect against the chilling air but because we are looking for the curative powers of self-hibernation. Tired from the high of summer, our bodies and mind require a little cozy. A little self-love. And it only takes the flutter of a single auburn leaf to provide sign enough that now is the time to accept this change.
While I sit here writing this, it’s more than apparent that I, myself, have succumbed to Fall Fever and that the blood running in my veins may be slightly scented of pumpkin spice. However, if you find you’ve made an uneasy bed in the limbo between summer and fall and want to join us harvest season fanatics, I have five ways to pull you firmly to the dark side.
1. Pick your poison. Whether you choose a piping cup o’ joe or a steaming cuppa tea, there’s almost nothing better than a little caffeine to enjoy with the shifting scenery, the dancing leaves, the crisping air. Who doesn’t like a warm pick-me-up on an autumn morning? Or, for the truly brave of heart, kick the caffeine and go with a classic cinnamon apple cider in your thermos of choice! Now don’t think I could forget to mention the queen of all fall drinks—the great PSL—but I guarantee you’ve already heard enough about her luring saccharine qualities.
2. Bring on the new tunes. What’s the fun in celebrating the coming of a season without a brand-new playlist? Sure, the 90s nostalgia in me may scream for a mixed CD—complete with Sharpie drawings of pumpkins and weeping willows on its album cover—but as a modern millennial, the idea of being able to skip out my front door to the sound of ready-picked music is far more appealing. We want a pumped-up fall and we want it now! Whether you walk on by humming indie tunes off of Spotify’s Autumn Leaves playlist or craft one of your own, some mood music can surely add ambiance to any trek.
3. Take time for reflection and relaxation. This may sound silly but after the electric, fast-paced vibes of summer, having already danced our bodies from beach days to bar nights, a little downtime is soul-healing. While I am a huge advocate of reaching for my nearest blanket and finding a spot to snuggle with a large book, local museums, old cinemas, and thrift shops can work just as well for a little mental refocusing. After all, where else can you find the perfect corduroy skirt or newly discover a time-worn film than on a walk through history?
4. ‘Tis the season to binge. As September runs into October, new and returning television shows flood the networks and streaming services while upcoming films (having spent the entire year teasing us with two-minute trailers) finally get released. It stirs up an otherwise peaceful season with a bit of pop culture excitement. That said, it would be hard for me not to admit that one of my most coveted Fall Fever traditions is rewatching every Thanksgiving episode from the infamous FRIENDS. You can find the ranking and titles of all ten episodes, courtesy of Variety.com. Bring on the caramel popcorn and join the TV marathon—if you dare.
5. Bake, honey, bake. As summer brings mojitos and a menagerie of citrus scents, autumn stakes its claim on all that is spicy and sweet. It’s a time for deep flavours, rum balls, and the decadence of apple pie and sweet potatoes. Fall is for all the yummy recipes that almost seem too wrong to make any other time of the year. The fact is, baking brings people together and nothing has ever tasted so right.
No matter how you choose to spend the season, fall is a chance to relish in the little things, to simply step back and admire the power of a gentler change at work. But, hey, don’t take my word for it. Fall can last around 90 days, but you only need one of them to catch her fever.
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