As we can all agree, we are living in a time that is full of uncertainty which leaves us to wonder when we will ever find some semblance of normalcy. Sometimes when things feel out of control, focusing on what you can control helps. We decided to put together a list of things that we CAN do to enjoy the fall and appreciate the change of season. We hope you enjoy them too!
We’ve been buying new fall decor and all the candy the stores have to offer to feel the halloween spirit and find some normalcy!
- Décor galore. If you haven’t already done so, get out all of your fall and holiday décor. If need be hit up amazon or Target (drive-up is a plus in this COVID-19 world) any store you feel safe venturing out to! Since a lot of us are spending our days at home rather than the office, it is even more important to create a living space that makes you feel happy and cheerful. A lot of us are not getting our usual fix of over-the-top holiday décor at the local spots we’d normally visit during the week (i.e. Dunkins, Starbucks, local coffee shop) which is why it is even more important for you to take the time fill that void with home decor.
- Pumpkin carving and decorating. Maybe this is a tradition of yours and maybe it isn’t but either way I think we can all agree that this is the most classic way to celebrate this holiday season. If you don’t want to deal with the mess of it, you can bedazzle it to your liking with ribbon and such or paint!
- Clothes. Wear as much orange, reds, browns as you own and of course in honor of sweater weather, get out those comfy pullovers and cardigans. Even if you aren’t leaving your home, who better to impress than your own self! After all, you are the only person that you need to make happy so change it up from your go to lounge clothes and alternate with a bit of fall color.
- Movie Marathons. Seriously this is the best way to celebrate spooky season. Plan out which scary movies you want to watch this holiday season. Look up online when they will be playing and plan date nights with you and your couch. Bring on the snacks!
- Plan to celebrate the holidays. There is so much uncertainty as to how or if we will get to celebrate and while we may not know until the days leading up, plan ahead by coming up with a remote plan. Having a remote plan in place, may give you more of a sense of control when in person plans feel so uncertain. Plan to facetime or zoom with your loved ones. Get recipes from family members of food you would normally share during this holiday season and virtually celebrate the meals together. If you don’t like to cook, you can often order holiday meals from your local grocery store. I’ve heard Whole Foods even does a Thanksgiving meal in a box (Vegan options too)! While this year’s holidays may all be remote, it doesn’t mean we can’t plan and adapt thanks to technology.
- Halloween costumes. Adding on to the theme of celebrating holidays despite limitations—for all you pet owners please for the sake of your happiness and everyone else on your Instagram feed, buy your pup that cute costume you have always contemplated buying. We will thank you for those pictures and you will thank us for having done so as it’ll be a captured moment that you can always appreciate.
- Fall sports. If you are a sports fan or at the very least have a sports team you usually watch, plan to celebrate each weekend with a game watch. Again, you can implement virtual dates with your friends and get out the snacks and drinks and have your at-home game day. Get up early, have some brunch, watch any pre game shows during the day and avoid all the cold weather, parking traffic, and lines!
- Hallmark Christmas Movies. Hallmark will be adding 40 new movies this year and it all starts Saturday, October 24th! Get on the Hallmark train and get ready to have a new film each week. These movies are there for a reason and that’s to give everyone some consistency in the light but heartwarming way we desire during the holidays. No matter the hallmark plot there will always be a sweet ending and 2020 has us craving some predictability!
- Get crafty this season. Maybe you haven’t been crafty since it was forced on you in grade school art classes but this is something we can all learn to channel and appreciate in 2020. Some of us may be more gifted in this area than others, but we definitely all have a creative side we can tap into. An excellent idea that we’ve both been hearing and wanting to try as an alternative to our Netflix sessions is to do our own paint and wine night at home.
- Scents. Scent has a special power and it should be used to our advantage this fall. In an attempt to boost our spirits and feel more in the holiday mood, we can use candles, sprays, or perfumes that remind us of happy times, places, and people. Right now as I type I have a fall pumpkin candle burning to give me all the cozy vibes desired tonight and allow for some sense of normalcy with this traditional fall smell. Since I am spending less time out in the world than previous years, I have turned to this coping skill the most this fall to celebrate seasonal change and enjoy some tradition.
