Decorating for the fall holiday season can be as easy or as complex as you like. You can decorate by season or gradually move from one holiday into another. The transition for Halloween to Thanksgiving can be gradual and yet captivating, replacing ghouls, goblins, and black cats, with turkeys, pilgrims, and pumpkins. Every year the trends change according to what is popular on television and in movies, but for the most part, the traditional standbys return year after year and continue to hold their place as the all-time favorites.
A few of the most popular trends in recent years include:
- The Walking Dead – One of the most popular television shows in recent years is continuing to gain new fans with each passing year. Zombies are all the rage and have become one of the most commonly used Halloween costume and party themes in the United States and other parts of the world.
- Wooden Accents and Fall Colors – For those who are not overly concerned about the zombie apocalypse, wooden accents, highlighted with bright fall colors, can add a festive feel to any table, room, or garden. Whether you are going all out and throwing an elaborate party or are just decorating your home for friends and family members to enjoy,the bright colors and contrasting wood accents can stand out in any room.
- Pumpkins, Squash, and Gourds – Pumpkins, gourds, and squashes can be found in many different sizes. Miniature pumpkins and gourds can be painted, while larger ones can be carved to make Jack-o-lanterns and other small candle holders. Larger pumpkins can be set on stairs, porches, and outside steps leading up to the home. Smaller pumpkins, squashes, and gourds can be mixed with other fall plants and plant foliage and placed on counters, tabletops, and almost any surface throughout the home.
- Natural Lanterns – Natural lanterns can be made of almost any material. A hollowed out pumpkin, a glass jar filled with sand or dirt, a metal sconce, or a bowl are all good examples of what can be used to create a unique table setting. With the right preparation, almost any item can be used as a candle holder or lantern. Lanterns that use real candles emit a soft glow that can set the mood of any room or gathering.
- Natural Elements as Table Decorations – Leaves, twigs, dried flowers, and any floral arrangements that incorporate any of the above, make great table decorations. Leaves, twigs, and pine cones can be strewn about to create a free form centerpiece that is both beautiful and interchangeable with other decor. Lanterns can be added. Bows, ribbons, glitter, and flocking can also be used to create the perfect centerpiece.
- “Scent” pieces – One of the most endearing things about the fall season is the myriad of smells and scents that can be encountered when walking through a home or someone’s back yard. Pine cones, cloves, citrus, pine, woodsy smells, as well as the smell of wood and leaves burning can bring back memories from as far back as someone’s child hood.
Aromatic centerpieces can be used in every room of the home, including the back door patio and deck area. The aromas and smells that are associated with the fall season can be quite strong and will often remind those who encounter it of years gone by. The smell of cookies, pumpkin pies, and apple dumplings baking in the oven, accompanied by the smell of pinecones and wood burning in the family fireplace,along with the bright colors,create the feel of the season.
- Wreaths and Hangings – Wreaths and hangings made from pine boughs or grapevines have a natural feel but are also versatile enough for wire to be added so that other things can be added. Add eucalyptus branches, fall foliage, dried flowers, ribbon, baby’s breath, and small ornamental birds, butterflies, or other animals to create a one of a kind piece that only you will have.