3 Ways To Create Fall Memories With Your Family
The crunch of fallen leaves underfoot. A whiff of spiced apple pie. A sip of warm cider on a chilly day. Don’t they all bring happy autumn memories from your childhood rushing back?
Scents and sounds and tastes are the stuff memories are made of. And while you’re basking in the warmth of your own fond fall memories, why not take just a minute to consider what kinds of fall family memories you’d like your own children or grandchildren to have? Whether they’re toddlers or teens, it’s never too late to start new family traditions and give them something to look back on fondly when they’re grown.
Traditions and memories mean a lot to us here at Collin Street Bakery – after all, we’ve been around since 1896, and still use the same delectable recipes our founder brought with him to the New World. So we’ve put together a list of 3 ways you can create fall memories with your own family, and maybe start a few new traditions as you go.
1. Make a Scarecrow
Everyone loves decorating their home for Christmas – but why limit the fun to one season? Fall harvest-themed decorations are just as fun to make, and can become the stuff of fond family memories, no matter how old your children or grandchildren are. Homemade scarecrows are a versatile craft that can be tailored to almost any age - and any style of décor.
While you can make multiple small scarecrows to scatter around the house, it might be most memorable to make one large scarecrow the entire family puts together each year to display outside. You can stay traditional and use farm-themed clothing for your scarecrow, or go modern and use regular clothes the kids have outgrown. Stuff the clothing with newspaper first, then add hay at the wrists, ankles, and neck. Draw a face on a brown paper bag also stuffed with newspaper, add a straw hat with plenty more hay, and voila! The smell of fresh hay will forever trigger memories of laughing family members trying to stuff that scarecrow, carry it outside, or figure out how to make it sit up.
2. Celebrate Apples!
Fall is the time for apples, whether in the form of apple pie, apple cider, or bobbing for apples. So why not dive in wholeheartedly and create a fall family memory that centers around this versatile fruit?
Hold your own family apple festival, with an evening or even a whole day devoted to everything apple! Go apple picking if you live near an orchard, or try bobbing for apples at home. Warm up some spiced apple cider and pair it with a generous slice of our moist Apple Cinnamon Pecan Cake, as you sit outside bundled up with blankets together against the chill. For younger children, you can talk about Johnny Appleseed – for older kids, you can get goofy and include the use of Apple gear such as iPods in the festivities. Forever after, the taste of apples, cinnamon, and pecans will bring them right back to your family celebrations, no matter how many years it’s been.
3. Revel in Fall Leaves
The crunching of leaves is one of those sounds that makes just about anyone into an instant kid again. Admit it – you’ve gone out of your way on occasion to step on a fall leaf on the sidewalk, just to hear that satisfying sound, haven’t you? Don’t worry - we all have. So why not indulge that innate love of fall leaves with your family, and create great memories while you’re at it?
From the traditional dives into neatly raked piles, to collecting brightly colored leaves for art projects, leaves present everyone in your family with activities they’re sure to enjoy - and remember for years to come. And if you want to go all out, make autumn your family’s traditional road trip season, and go in search of the perfect fall foliage. Every step you take together on a crunchy forest floor will be stored in your family’s memories for life, and come flooding back whenever they hear that familiar sound.
So whether you want to create a few last family memories with your teens before they head off to college, start brand new family traditions with your tiny grandchildren, or anything in between, the scents, sounds, and tastes of fall are the perfect place to start. Let Collin Street Bakery provide you with the tastes, so you can focus on having fun with your family.