Autumn is coming, and my excitement is off the charts! Ever since some of us were robbed of our fall season last year and since the pandemic began in March, I’ve tried my best to stay optimistic and grateful. But it’s been a stretch if I’m being honest. The promise of autumn, however, has me genuinely elated! It’s been a wild year, but here are eleven things to be excited about this fall:
- Cooler temperatures. Obviously. Living in a Texas inferno without easy access to a pool has been trying, to say the least. I am beyond ready for cool, crisp weather that won’t force me to complete all outdoor activities before 7 a.m. or risk melting. The season change means enjoyable walks with my kids, playing outdoors, picnics with friends, and general comfort without the need for a personal cooling device or daily ice bath. Sign me up!
- The outfits. While it may be true that we are facing yet another season at home, at least my extensive loungewear wardrobe will finally make sense. The leggings, the sweats, the fleeces, the wearable blankets. I will, with jubilation, drape myself in layer after layer until I am no longer recognizable.
- Pumpkin spice. Don’t @ me. I will be baking, eating, and ordering pumpkin spice items until we herald the inevitable transition to questionable holiday flavors like sugar plum spice. This is the first item on my agenda.
- Visits to the Dallas Arboretum. Pumpkin village, anyone? Visiting the Dallas Arboretum is one of my favorite activities every year, particularly in the fall when it doesn’t lead to severe overheating. In the current climate, it’s the perfect activity to do with your family while social distancing. You’ll thank me.
- Hocus Pocus. This movie gets its own category. In normal years, I watch this beloved Halloween classic from my childhood at least twice. This year, four times is a hard minimum. Now that it’s streaming on Disney+, nothing can stop me.
- Halloween costumes. Regardless of whether trick-or-treating is happening this year, my kids will be wearing multiple Halloween costumes, and I will be posting pictures of them on my social media. Obviously, dressing them up is the main reason I had children, so I can’t let this opportunity go to waste. (Kidding, kind of.)
- Halloween candy. For a brief moment in time, it will be socially acceptable for me to purchase my favorite Halloween candy for myself and eat it in the comfort of my own pantry after my kids have gone to bed. I won’t reveal my favorites, as I’d prefer to avoid receiving hate mail. But yes, I do like candy corn.
- Voting. This is obviously the most consequential item on my list. Let’s do our civic duty and VOTE! Make sure you are registered, make a voting plan, and make it happen!!!
- The return of school. Whether it’s in-person, virtual, or a combination for your kids, school is finally starting! It will be a challenge for all parents regardless of the format, but I am grateful that at least I won’t have to come up with ten hours’ worth of activities every day for my preschooler. I’d like to retire as his summer cruise director, effective immediately. Plus, I have a thing for school supplies.
- The return of TV. Yes, I’ve been trying to read more, but I’ve also been mourning the abrupt end to the spring TV season in March. Not that I have tons of time these days, but the idea of new high-quality content to consume is thrilling to me. Here’s a delightful list of upcoming TV premieres to get you excited.
- Coziness and quiet beauty. Can you tell fall is my favorite season? I can’t wait until the leaves change color, we smell wood burning in fireplaces around the neighborhood, and we feel the earth crunching beneath our feet. I imagine myself, sometime in October, looking out my window and observing the fiery reds and oranges, curled up with a hot cup of coffee and a good book. Maybe even with some pumpkin bread baking in the background. I can think of nothing more exciting!
What are you excited about this fall?
