Our 10 Favorite Dates for Autumn
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Hey you! Yes, you.
Right there, with your pumpkin spice latte, googling places to pick apples. Yes, that’s a great idea. You should do that. But….now hear me out…there are other flavors for Fall. And there are other dates that capture the mood of the season. Try these:
1. Visit the dead.
Visiting cemeteries is an ancient Catholic practice. It is to acknowledge what we proclaim in the creed that we believe in the resurrection of the dead and the Communion of Saints. And it is actually quite enjoyable. My October and November weekends are often spent with a picnic or a thermos of coffee checking out the oldest cemeteries within driving distance. We eat, we say some prayers, and we read the names off of the headstones, with a little memento mori.
2. Progressive Dinner.
Find a great downtown with lots of great local eats all within walking distance. Pick one for cocktails and appetizers. Pick another for dinner. Pick a third for dessert. Maybe a fourth for a coffee or nightcap. Eat, walk, and take your time. Maybe you will find some street performers and you can strike up an impromptu dance. Maybe a courtyard of an old church to explore. There is no telling the intriguing details you find when walking around at night in your favorite little downtown.
3. Get Crafty.
Autumn just sort of lends itself to handiwork—be that dipping candles, making wreaths, creating something out of wine corks, brewing beer, making mead. Now is the perfect time to start making some Christmas gifts too. Working on something together can be a lot of fun and a great way to bond.
4. Boutiques and bizarres.
Does your parish have a fall bizarre? A craft show? A bake sale? This time of year booths and tables pop up everywhere with everyone from the Knights of Columbus to the Ladies Guild selling everything from quilts to cookies. Take a look! Make a day of it and try to hit up as many as possible—visiting other parishes can be fun! To add an extra layer of intrigue, set a spending limit (say $20 or so), split up, and buy a present for the other. Unique, fun, beautiful, and oftentimes hilarious gifts are sure to be found!
5. Football.
OK, OK, so maybe you are not even a fan. But, bundling up in your favorite scarf, donning the team colors, and filling a thermos with cider can be a great date. This doesn’t have to be expensive either. Check out your local high school or college team! You could even make a picnic and have a romantic tailgate party first!
6. Help a couple out.
This time of year parents need to get out and do some Christmas shopping of their own. Volunteer to babysit a friend’s kids (or ask your parish if they know a young family who could use a hand) for an afternoon or evening. You can plan some fun activities, have a chance to observe your date interact in a family setting, and have a blast, all while helping a young married couple get some time out. It’s a win-win.
7. Stargazing.
Pack some delicious hot drinks (alright, alright, you can have your pumpkin spice latte) and a blanket and spend some time looking up at God’s handiwork! An autumn night is perfect for this—it’s colder so the bugs have died, but not so cold as you will be miserable!
8. Fire.
A crackling fireplace with mulled wine, a bonfire with marshmallows, or lighting candles at a prayer chapel. Autumn is a perfect time to gaze into flames, to contemplate, and allow the conversation to dive a little deeper into the mysteries of life.
9. Beer Tasting.
Yeah, yeah, everyone is all about wine tasting. But you know what? Beer is the taste of Fall. Look for some local breweries and find the perfect pairing for the apples you got when you went picking. Remember, St. Arnulf of Metz said, “From man’s sweat and God’s love, beer came into the world.”
10. Go to the beach.
As schools are back in session and the weather is getting chilly, beaches are getting more empty, which is the perfect time to visit. It’s misty and mysterious, chilly (which makes for more coziness), great for hot beverages but still warm enough to go barefoot.
And for your consideration, here is a bonus list of hot beverages for Fall that are better than PSLs:
(in my opinion)
- Hot apple cider
- London Fog
- Maple or Vanilla Steamers
- Chai
Or adult beverages:
- Buttered rum
- Mulled wine
- Irish Coffee
- Warm Cognac
Cheers to Autumn romance!
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