That Autumn Feeling

The dark season is finally upon us! It’s the season of colours and shadows, cold mornings and warm beds, haunted houses and cheerful firesides. I cannot properly articulate how much I love this time of year. I can still remember myself getting excited over the prospect of going back to school, brimming with brand new stationary and the anticipation of meeting my classmates and I guess that feeling has never really gone away. When September approaches, this feeling of change always overwhelms me, but surprisingly in a good way! The change in weather, the different food and clothes and the upcoming holidays always make me excited for the upcoming months. Best of all, Autumn is the perfect excuse to stay indoors…and for an introvert, that is a gift from heaven! It is a time of introspection and discovery, the falling leaves nurturing my imagination and the sound of thunderstorms allowing me to be more at peace with the world around me.

That perfect Autumn day. It would be a day on the weekend when there’s a raging thunderstorm outside, incessant flashes of lightning illuminating the cosy interior of my bedroom. Raindrops pound against the windowpanes, willing to be heard above the thunderclaps. You can always find me huddled beneath a pile of blankets, watching my favourite Autumn film, with my feet propped up on the bed. A cup of tea sits invitingly next to me along with a plate of freshly baked biscuits, still warm from the oven. The flame from my pumpkin-spiced scented candle flickers in time with my breathing. When the film ends, I would probably spend the rest of the day devouring a book, listening to Autumn playlists or brave the storm to visit my favourite coffeeshop.

The smell of baking in the kitchen.  Who doesn’t love to be greeted with the smell of baking cake when you get home? It feels almost like a warm embrace. The colder weather always rekindles my love for baking, especially the prospect of eating that slice of pumpkin cake still warm from the oven with a generous cup of tea. I absolutely adore apple crumble, apple pie and pumpkin cake during this season. I also love the traditional Bones of the Dead, a macabre name for these delicious bone-shaped biscuits filled with marzipan that are baked around All Soul’s Day in Malta. They give you a sugar rush in a span of a few minutes and I’ve never eaten something so good and addictive!

Harry Potter. While I do reread and rewatch Harry Potter all year round, I do think that there’s something extra special about it during this time of year. It’s just so easy for me to imagine Diagon Alley on a cold blustery Autumn afternoon, with vibrant red leaves dotting the cobblestones, the smell of coffee and cinnamon in the air and people bundled up in huge scarves as they shop for a new wand or potion ingredients. Just imagine the grounds of Hogwarts, painted a rich riot of colours, smoke rising from Hagrid’s cabin and the Whomping Willow scattering its leaves with gusto. And to top it all, think of that warm armchair in the common room, right next to the fireplace, where you can warm your feet as you read a book about the Dark Arts. Why didn’t I get my Hogwarts letter this year?!

Autumn-themed book covers. Don’t you just love it when the stories that always remind you of Autumn also have the most gorgeous covers ever?! I love their vibrant orange-red colours, setting up the mood for a dark and mysterious story. Out of these I still need to read Sleep No More, Vixen and The Haunting of Hill House, and I hope I can remedy that soon!

This is Halloween, this is Halloween, Pumpkins scream in the dead of night! I do not really celebrate Halloween in the traditional sense but I do love the atmosphere and decorations associated with it. If I did have to choose a Halloween costume though, it would definitely be Edward Scissorhands, with actual scissors for hands and everything! The only question would be…how would I pee??? This year I will hopefully be spending Halloween in London and I’m very much excited to see the Great Hall at the Warner Bro Studio Tour decorated with pumpkins and eerie lights! October 31st will also be Brexit Day, and that alone is scary enough!

Goodbye summer wardrobe. It’s been an utterly awful summer, with long days of extremely high temperatures that even underwear was unbearable to wear! So I’m obviously relieved that it is finally getting cooler and I can turn back to my trusty long-sleeved shirts, chunky cardigans and warm scarves! Nothing compares with the comfort of an oversized sweater, warm fluffy socks and my favourite cosy pyjamas!

Autumn Bucket List: I love making lists so I couldn’t pass up an opportunity to include one in this post!

• Visit London during Halloween!
• Discover new coffeeshops and try out their different Autumn-themed desserts
• Finally taste pumpkin-spiced latte now that Starbucks has opened in Malta!
• Collect leaves from our garden
• Take a bunch of new Autumn-themed pictures
• Read all the books on my Autumn TBR
• Laying in bed bundled up under the covers as the rain falls outside

What do you love most about Fall? x