I’ve always loved fall! The pumpkins, the coziness, the slow-down in outside chores…and the holidays that come starting in Autumn.  Fall kicks off Halloween, Thanksgiving, and the December holidays like Christmas. When my daughter was little, we once went to Disney in the fall. It was fun to see all the Mickey Mouse-themed pumpkins and decor back then. However, there is NO place like the East Coast for fall! There’s a reason why so many autumn and holiday movies are set in New England! Grab a cup of cocoa and let’s visit!

Having four seasons is amazing! The beginning of Autumn is usually warm and balmy, without the high humidity and temps we see in summer. The last of the summer flowers are a beautiful backdrop to autumn leaves.

Almost every house and business is decorated with fall pumpkins and mums. It’s the best, most beautiful time of the year to head outside for a walk, before the snow and ice of winter arrive and Mother Nature takes a rest.

Soon after, Halloween decor abounds. New England is THE place for Halloween!

We always decorate with vintage-style, including decorating Gidget the Glamper. We were ready for trick or treaters, and loved spending a cozy evening with chili and pumpkin bread, while greeting Halloween visitors. My driveway is long, but my neighbors know how much we love the holiday, and I think we may have had more trick-or-treaters than ever this year!  They were all so sweet and polite, and the littlest trick-or-treater was only two. “Twick or tweet”, she said, and then “Tank you!” She was the cutest!

Businesses and restaurants in New England get into the fall and holiday spirit, too. Are you a Wicked fan? I never have seen the Broadway play, but the first movie was fun to see on the big screen, and the second one looks like it will be even better!  One of the most magical restaurants in New England is in Southington, Connecticut, Cava. It has scrumptious, mouthwatering, Italian-style dishes, but the decor is what makes it the most memorable.

My husband and I celebrated our 33rd anniversary this fall. We had been given a Cava gift card, so we could not think of a better way to celebrate.  The restaurant changes their theme each season, and this year the indoor  fall theme was “Wicked”.  We sat next the “Wizard”, while shadows of flying monkeys flew on the windows, and Elphaba stood behind us. The whole restaurant was just spectacular!

New England also is the unofficial “capital” of festivals, and fall is no exception. My town kicks off the fall with an Arts Festival, and there are Apple, Renaissance, and Fall festivals all over the area. 

The New York State Sheep and Wool Festival is a fun, very large festival in Rhinebeck, NY in the fall, as well. There’s workshops, yarn, and animals to look at – anything and everything fiber related! 

Now that it is November, Halloween “scary” is gone, and the month is a transition to the holidays. While you might still see pumpkins, you also see candlelights in the windows, a New England holiday tradition. 

It gets dark early here (4:30 PM), now that daylight savings time has had us turn our clocks back, but it is the start of the “cozy”season, with soups and apple cider, twinkling lights, and friends gathering. As I write, I am listening to Christmas Carols, three warm, snoozy pups at my side, and the first snow flurries are flying. Hygge. 

Wishing you all a cozy, Happy Thanksgiving! 

PS- This post marks my FIFTEENTH anniversary blogging here as the Suburban Farmgirl blogger! Thank you all for reading and commenting through the years! Every comment means a lot, and I thankful for all of my Farmgirl Friends!