Celebrate Autumn’s Arrival

by

Can you believe it?

The first official day of fall here in the United States is tomorrow.

I love the autumn season. The crisp crunch of leaves beneath my boots. The spicy and loamy scents that waft on the afternoon breeze, and the pumpkin and spice scents that waft from my oven. The sounds of fans cheering at high school football games, and the brilliant array of colors as the leaves change from green to crimson, tangerine, and gold.

As the days grow shorter and we tend to spend more time at home, it’s a perfect time to host a get together, whether it’s inviting a friend over for lunch, or the whole gang over for a bonfire.

In what seems like a lifetime ago, I used to work for a direct sales company that was all about making entertaining at home easier and more enjoyable for the hostess. I learned so many tips and tricks for entertaining that really do simplify things, I thought I’d share a few today.

 

 

THEMES

One of the easiest ways to entertain is to pick a theme for your gathering. It makes everything from decorations to food choices so much simpler.

For an autumn party theme, send out invitations shaped like fall leaves or use stationery with a pumpkin or apple theme.

Bring the colors of the season into your home using shades of crimson red, burgundy, sage and earthy greens, golden yellow, and deep orange. Use accent pillows or throws to really create that warm and cozy atmosphere we associate with fall.  (Side note: you can easily recover a pillow using a swatch of felt since the edges won’t fray. Cut a piece big enough to cover the entire pillow and glue the edges or simply connect the edges by stitching with a piece of thin ribbon.)

Decorations for your party can be something as basic as a few potted mums, bundles of wheat tied with raffia bows, or a pile of mini pumpkins and squash. You don’t have to get carried away with something fancy.

Your meal can be simple as well. Make a big pot of stew (check out Cheryl’s recipe for hamburger stew) or a filling casserole. Finish the meal with a pumpkin or apple dessert.

If you want the party to be a more hands-on experience, do a fun activity before the meal like apple picking or visiting a pumpkin patch.

Or host an autumn bonfire. Serve up hot dogs, potato wedges and mulled cider.

Here’s a list of party ideas from A to Z:

Apples

Back to School

Crafter’s Gathering

Decadent Desserts

End of Summer

Foliage & Fun

Game Night

Harvest Festival

Indian Summer

Jubilee

King’s Castle

Leaves & Laughter

Maze Daze

Nature’s Splendor

Oktoberfest

Pumpkins

Queen for a Day

Rag Time

Scarecrow

Tailgate

Under the Umbrella

Vintage

Wiener and Marshmallow Roast

X-ray Vision/Superheros

Yearbook

Zebra – everything is black and white

 

SCENTS

If I thought I could get away with it, I’d burn pumpkin scented candles all year long. Just think about walking into a home where the scents of pumpkin, apple, cinnamon or spices fill the air. It makes you think about fall and hayrides and pumpkin pie and all sorts of wonderful, comforting experiences.

The main thing to remember as you fill your home with the scents of fall is to stick with one scent at a time.

If you’re burning a sweet pumpkin candle in the kitchen, don’t light a heavily spiced candle a few feet away in the family room. Before you know it, you’ve got warring scents and quite possibly a headache.

DECOR

If you are looking to bring the autumn season into your home, a great place to start is by going outdoors. What fall leaves, branches or natural items, like grasses, pinecones or nuts, can you bring indoors for an inexpensive accent to your decor?

Use neutral tones highlighted with fall colors, focusing on the vivid jewel tones of autumn like rich red, warm gold, brilliant orange, deep green and pops of purple. This is not the time or the season to go all beige. Think bold, warm and rich when you are choosing accent colors.

Create a fall welcome at your front door by placing pumpkins on steps, a twiggy wreath around an exterior light or baskets filled with bright fall flowers like mums.

Use fall scents like pumpkin, cinnamon and apple throughout your home. Whatever scent you choose, make sure you stick with it consistently so you don’t have scents overpowering each other. No one wants to walk into a scent war-zone!

Fill bowls or baskets with nuts or pinecones for a fast fall accent. Place large leaves between a serving tray and a piece of glass (or a clear glass pate). You can use this as a centerpiece, serve warm mugs of cider on it or leave it on the coffee table as a conversation piece.

Keep your focus on warmth. Warm colors and cozy fabrics create a fantastic sense of welcome.

FLAVORS

If you are a pumpkin maniac (hand waving in the air), here are a few ideas to add pumpkins to your menu if you choose a pumpkin theme (or just really love pumpkin!).

• Make a simple pumpkin soup by adding about four cups of chicken broth to a 28-ounce can of pumpkin. Cook until bubbling and let simmer then stir in about 3 ounces of Feta cheese, season with salt and a pinch of nutmeg.

• Use canned pumpkin as a thickener. Add it to any type of chili or stew that needs a little thickening.

• Substitute canned pumpkin for half the fat in quick breads. This works well with cinnamon, citrus and chocolate. Or make your taste buds extra happy and make a loaf of pumpkin bread.

• Add canned pumpkin to half your cheesecake filling. Swirl it into the filling, but don’t mix, before baking to get an awesome design and incredible flavor.

• Mix canned pumpkin into softened ice cream then refreeze for a quick pumpkin dessert. Serve with gingersnaps and a drizzle of caramel sauce.

• Mix a heaping spoonful into grits, top with grated Parmesan cheese and a tiny dollop of butter.

• Mix canned pumpkin with one part apple cider and two parts ginger ale for a fun beverage.

You could also make pumpkin polenta, pumpkin cupcakes, pumpkin muffins, roasted pumpkin wedges, pumpkin roll or pumpkin seeds.

However you decide to entertain this fall, just remember to enjoy the experience and not get too wrapped up in the details. It’s all about connecting with your friends and loved ones that truly matters!

Speaking of connecting, I hope you’ll join me and the rest of the Love Train authors for a “welcome autumn” celebration tomorrow. The fun begins at 8 a.m. Pacific Time (9 Mountain, 10 Central, 11 Eastern). It will be a day full of fun, games, giveaways, and more!
https://www.facebook.com/groups/2143576775865837

What’s your favorite way to entertain?

Casual? Rustic? Elegant? Classy? Whimsical?

Or if entertaining isn’t your thing,

what’s your favorite autumn flavor? 

 

Post your answer for a chance to win a digital copy of my newly released

Fall Into Love

collection of two autumn-themed sweet cowboy romances,

and a digital copy of my Savvy Autumn Entertaining guide!

 

 

Shanna Hatfield
Website | + posts

After spending her formative years on a farm in Eastern Oregon, hopeless romantic Shanna Hatfield turns her rural experiences into sweet historical and contemporary romances filled with sarcasm, humor, and hunky western heroes.
When this USA Today bestselling author isn’t writing or covertly hiding decadent chocolate from the other occupants of her home, Shanna hangs out with her beloved husband, Captain Cavedweller.

53 thoughts on “Celebrate Autumn’s Arrival”

  1. My favorite autumn flavor is apples and cinnamon. I love to make easy baked apples in the microwave. Cut up an apple, sprinkle with cinnamon and microwave in covered glass dish with the lid askew to allow steam to vent, in 30-second increments until done. Naturally sweet and delicious!

  2. I usually entertain in a more casual way, but not laid-back. I like things well organized and somewhat impressive in a relaxed setting.

  3. I don’t have a flavor. Just enjoy the changing color of the leaves. We all here are really hoping for a semi rainy fall as almost no rain this summer. Very dry here.

  4. I have several bins of Autumn decor. I guess my style is farmhouse country, and I’m talking the original farmhouse country, not the black and white style that’s popular now.

    Love all of the ideas you shared.

  10. I live in FL, where we don’t participate in Fall. However, I do love the smell of cinnamon, and that makes me think of Thanksgiving!

  11. Great tips, Shanna! I love pumpkin spice everything! I also enjoy entertaining, though it tends to be family only these days.

  13. My favorite autumn scent is apple and cinnamon. I love anything apple. I am known for my applesauce and apple pie. I am not a fan of pumpkin spice.

  14. My favorite style to entertain is casual and rustic. During the fall when I entertain I use things from nature like pinecones, leaves, and acorns to use as decoration. My favorite autumn scent is anything pumpkin. When I go to the grocery store everything pumpkin spice jumps in the basket.

  15. Sadly I don’t get a true autumn here in South Texas, its just less hot and humid but I love seeing all the beautiful leaves and scenery in movies or when people post them online. My favorite autumn scent is anything cinnamon and I especially like the combination of apples and cinnamon.

    • I’m sorry you don’t get the colorful autumn days we experience here in the Pacific Northwest, but so fun you enjoy apples and cinnamon. That’s such a wonderful combination. Wishing you beautiful days ahead!

  17. I like casual and easy… recipes in crock pots or chaffing dishes that will keep them warm for guests to enjoy when they feel like it. I especially love pumpkin bars and I also love toasted bread crisps to dip into apple butter. those really say Fall to me. One other thing I love is warm apple crisp with cinnamon ice cream!

    • Those are such great ways to keep things warm. Love using both of those too.
      Pumpkin bars are so delish, as it warm apple crisp and cinnamon ice cream. (Now I want some!)
      Thanks for stopping in today, Sandy! Happy autumn to you!

  18. We used to decorate and entertain quite a bit when my husband was in the Air Force and when out children were little. We now are retired and live out in the country. Because of the events we hosted or I worked on, I have a nice selection of decorations for just about anything. I was a children’s librarian for years and added more decorations for that. I like entertaining any way I can. Casual, rustic, and whimsical are my favorites, but I can do the others quite happily. I am always looking for new recipes to try out and add to my entertaining list. I like some of your suggestions for pumpkin variations above.
    Thank you for all the good tips and ideas. Enjoy the Fall.

    • Hi Patricia,
      I think it’s wonderful you had all those decorations and enjoy trying new recipes. It’s fun to test them out, isn’t it?
      Wishing you beautiful days of autumn entertaining ahead.
      And thank you to your husband for his service!

  20. I like casual and comfy, but sometimes pick a theme or go country. I like pumpkin, but oddly I might have to say I love zucchini. 🙂 In quick bread, roasted veggies, cookies, zucchini relish, and soups. Just to name a few.

    • Zucchini is so versatile. My aunt used to make the best chocolate zucchini cake. Last September, I attended a party that was zucchini themed and we all had a lot of fun with the recipes. Happy autumn to you!

  21. Hello Shanna- Reading. Your blog made me hungry. I love rustic very laid back entertains. I also love the smell of pumpkin spice. Love you, Happy Fall.

  22. I love autumn also. the scents, the feel, the colors and the tastes. I had cream of wheat this morning and put some pumpkin spice and cut up apples and a little honey on top. oh my yummy I am loving the cooler temps and the shorter days.

  24. I took a walk yesterday. Love the smell of a ? fire in the fireplace. Also love cinnamon especially with apples: apple pie and apple coffee cake are two of my favorites with McIntosh ? apples!
    As for table decorations , I’m for simple settings with fall accents: gourds, mini pumpkins, candles in glass jars or vases, fall colors…

  25. I absolutely love pumpkin! I love apples all year, I have them when I crave them. But I also love oranges and they are the Best right now.
    I like to have a small group over when we have get togethers and I don’t make it themed, I’m a bit boring.

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