When it comes to holidays, I’m their biggest fan. I’ll take any excuse to decorate, cook fun foods, or celebrate. Now that we’re having our first child, this is just going to be amplified by 100%. Traditions make a season special, year after year, so I have a list of fall traditions I want to introduce to our future children!
It’s kind of ridiculous for a 20-something to leave cookies out for Santa or go trick or treating, but not when you have a kid! Holidays are a magical time for kids, and I am beyond ready to introduce this excitement to our first baby. It’s going to be September any day now, so my mind is in full fall-mode. Pumpkin patches, Halloween, turkey dinners, all that! And of course, I’m planning for next year when our son is going to be 7-9 months old for his first fall season.
Sure, he’ll still be a little young to fully enjoy and understand a lot of the fall traditions we want to introduce, but we’re gonna try it anyway and then continue them throughout the years.
This list of fall traditions encompasses the entire season, from Halloween to Thanksgiving.
Trick or treating
I don’t think it’s possible to celebrate Halloween as a child without going trick or treating. We’ll keep it simple the first few years and just visit family members, but once he’s old enough we’ll definitely walk the neighborhood with him. Although there are other options like “trunk or treating,” I don’t think we’ll go that route.
Carving pumpkins
Another staple tradition is carving pumpkins. While baby boy is young, I think we’ll just paint pumpkins instead. But once he’s older, I’d love to see our little family sitting down together and carving pumpkins each year.
Visiting a pumpkin patch
And where are we going to get those pumpkins? This local farm by us that has a pumpkin patch, corn maze, tractor rides, and lots of fun things for families to do. As he gets older, this farm also has a haunted house and nighttime activities.
Watch scary movies
No, we aren’t going to scar our children by making them watch slasher movies as babies. But we’ll find age-appropriate movies to watch in the weeks before Halloween. Some good ones for kids would be Hocus Pocus, Frankenweenie, Hotel Transylvania, or The Little Vampire which Mr. Smith and I both loved as a kid. Halloween books are a great option for toddlers, too.
Make Halloween treats
There are endless options for Halloween food and drinks. A good scroll through Pinterest can give you lots of ideas for new ones to try. An orange soda float in a jack-o-lantern glass or mummy pretzel rods are some of my favorites I’ve made so far.
Halloween baskets
Think Easter baskets but with spooky stuff instead of bunnies. I love making gift baskets and a trip to the Dollar Tree and Target dollar spot could be all you’d need for this tradition. Fill a plastic pumpkin with themed coloring books, hair accessories or toys, and whatever other little goodies you can find. I’d avoid much candy since they’re bound to get plenty while trick or treating.
Have a bonfire
No matter what setup we have available in our back yard, I think having a night of roasting marshmallows around the fire would be lots of fun. We could tell scary stories, cuddle up in blankets, and enjoy the cool weather.
Family Halloween costumes
When our kids are younger, I really want to plan some cute family Halloween costumes. Nothing crazy, just making some simple outfits for Mr. Smith and I that match our kid’s costumes. He is reluctant when it’s my idea, but I know he won’t be able to say no to his kids!
Roast pumpkins seeds
I’ve actually never roasted pumpkin seeds, or even tried them! It’s just not something my family did. But I’d be pretty surprised if I didn’t like them once they’re coated in olive oil and garlic salt. mmm.
Visit our local orchard
We have another farm here where you can pick apples, hop on a hayrack ride, and drink lots of apple cider. They’re open year-round but have special fall events where they offer pumpkin painting, face painting, and picnic spots. I’m sure there are similar places just about everywhere.
Baking pies
The Mr. and I aren’t really “pie people,” but who knows, maybe our kids will be. Either way, I love baking a pie from scratch. We could try apple, pecan, or pumpkin pies and deliver them to neighbors.
Thanksgiving crafts
There are endless ways to make a turkey out of craft paper. I’m definitely going to be the type of mom who is always having her kids do crafts and be creative, so the fall season will be no exception. Be prepared for lots of craft ideas in the future!
Take family pictures
Once we have kids, I think my camera and I will be inseparable. I can’t stress how important it is to take lots of photos of kids. Fall is the best time to take a family photo since it’s so nice outside and it’s perfect timing to prep for Christmas cards. I’ll be so glad to have an annual photo that grows with our family.
Go to a football game
Football isn’t really my thing, but I still enjoy the atmosphere of a college or pro game every once in a while! Grabbing a hot dog, throwing on a jersey, and cheering with the crowd is a fun experience even if you could care less about the score.
I’m sure I’ll find plenty more to try out, but these will be our staples. What fall traditions are your favorites for this time of the year? Maybe you have a favorite tradition that I’ll have to try for upcoming baby!
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