Title Quote: ‘Gilmore Girls’, Season 1, Episode 6

Image Credit: Isabella Laithwaite

Autumn has come around once more. Personally, my favourite time of the year! The array of beautiful, moody colours, the leaves falling gracefully towards the grass, and longer days with the dark encapsulating us earlier. Autumn is the perfect time for self reflection and relaxation, as the year comes to a close and a new one begins. 

It’s time to haul out the chunky sweaters, the fluffy socks, and our bobble hats, with the scent of pumpkin spice drifting under our noses and dive into those autumnal activities we’ve been waiting for all year. With that said, this article will give ideas on how you can (pumpkin) spice up your autumn months!

Image Credit: Isabella Laithwaite

Gilmore Girls

Starting the list is the comedy-drama series Gilmore Girls. This show is a staple for kick-starting autumn; the characters and setting make us feel at home and cosy, providing that comfort we all need in the colder months. The show follows the unique relationship between daughter, Rory Gilmore, and mother, Lorelai Gilmore, which creates a warm atmosphere as we feel part of their lives which is an ideal feeling to have a sensation of during “fall”. 

The series is an easy watch,you don’t have to constantly have your eyes glued to your screen and note every plot point, so it makes for light entertainment. Each episode follows a new storyline (much like other series such as Friends) so whenever you want to watch something autumnal and cosy, click any episode and you’re guaranteed a cinnamon smile.

Even the opening title for Gilmore Girls has orange hues and trees with dusky leaves; when you see this screen, you know it’s pumpkin season.

Image Credit: Isabella Laithwaite

Baking

When the chilly breeze makes the maroon leaves swirl down the pavement, and you bury deeper into the nook of your scarf, there’s no better place to be than by the warmth of an oven with the smell of cinnamon and vanilla surrounding you. Baking! This time of year, we want to be inside a lot of the time, but that can get slightly boring, especially when the outside looks so beautiful, but with baking, we can bring the outside atmosphere inside.

Some classic autumnal bakes include cinnamon rolls, pumpkin and apple pie. 

Gooey cinnamon rolls make for an absolute late-night treat while watching Gilmore Girls; apple pie is the ultimate family night treat that everyone can enjoy. Pumpkin pie is for my people who love anything pumpkin spiced!

These delicious treats are a great way to fill your fall boredom and satisfy your hunger. The recipes can be found all over the internet and you can find the perfect one that fits your cravings.

If these don’t satisfy your tastebuds, bake something you love! (But you must wear a pumpkin-themed apron).

Image Credit: Isabella Laithwaite

Pumpkin Picking and Carving

This particular activity is primarily for the Halloween season. A creative way to start your spooky season festivities and is so much fun alone or with friends. You can make such a day out of pumpkin carving and picking: grab a coffee (pumpkin spice latte), wear the cutest ‘witchy’ outfit and decide on the creepiest face to carve! Pumpkin patches are also the perfect photoshoot opportunity; you can get some lovely, aesthetic pictures surrounded by the array of many different shades of orange and vermillion, creating the perfect autumn home screen or Instagram post.

Pumpkin patches are scattered all over the country, and it is so special to visit one as they are only going to be around in October. The growing of pumpkins usually starts in May as they take a long time to develop and cannot be exposed to frost, hence their harvest in the autumn! It is a delight to be able to visit a pumpkin patch, and there is something so authentic about picking your own pumpkin in a field – the way nature intended, instead of buying a supermarket pumpkin for possibly more money and nowhere near as fresh!

The carving of a pumpkin is equally, if not more, fun.You can have challenges and competitions to see who has the best carving. You can make up the design as you go or print off a template to follow, it’s up to you. Once you’re done, use a little tea light to watch your pumpkin glow in the autumn darkness, and seeing your creation come to life! If you are not much of a surgeon when it comes to carving, you can always paint your pumpkin with acrylic and create some beautiful landscapes, or anything you wish!

 Image Credit: Isabella Laithwaite

Reading

A hobby that might not be everyone’s forte is reading, especially during the fallen leaves season. I love nothing more than snuggling into a cosy, fluffy blanket next to a (sometimes artificial) fire and turning the pages of one of my favourite novels. As I said, reading may not be for you, but if it is your cup of tea, let me suggest a few reads I think will really get you in that autumn mood.

You cannot go wrong with a beautiful, moody romance like Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice or Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights or a more modern choice could be The Pumpkin Spice Cafe by Laurie Gilmore. Or maybe you’d like to read something more serious and dark, like Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl, or Bret Easton Ellis’ American Psycho. 

Image Credit: Isabella Laithwaite

Candle Making

I LOVE candles. Can you tell I am an autumn fanatic? 

You must think I’m high on pumpkin spice, I can assure you that I am doing nothing of the sort, I just have strong emotions when anyone mentions autumn! 

This may be obvious but candles used to be a light source many years ago and can still be used as that today. However, now they are more of an item of etiquette for our spaces. Candles come in a wide variety of scents, colours and shapes! But did you know you can make your own candles, even from home?

This way, you can make whatever candle you desire and with whatever scent you long to smell around you. You can even buy kits online or you may be able to source items from around your house. If you are not the artsy type and don’t want wax dripping all over the place, you could always go candle shopping. TK Maxx has the greatest selection and is affordable too, making for a great opportunity to get out of the house. Some of the girls’ recommendations for candles are Yankee Candle, Wax Lyrical and The White Collection. 

Image Credit: Isabella Laithwaite

Take Photos

To wrap up this list, I’d like to mention one last activity that everyone can do without even needing to leave the house- taking photos. Capturing photos is a marvellous way to create memories, and autumn is the perfect time to do this. Everything just looks so picturesque and it’s as if the world sort of changes its colour for a few months. To capture this is truly beautiful as it only comes around once a year. Take photos of the trees, which are decorated with so many different colours that it feels almost surreal that they can look that way. Take photos of your fluffy socks, your autumn meals (or bakes!), your coffee, your pet laying in the sunset stream that intrudes our windows at such an early hour of the evening or take photos of your family and friends during autumn, to remember of all the enjoyment you had during these last few months of the year.

So girls, what will you be doing this autumn?