While you may be sad at the passing of summer, it doesn’t mean that the fun has to stop. You can welcome the arrival of fall with a party that celebrates the warmth of the season and gets your friends and family together for a crisp autumn afternoon and dishes made from yummy seasonal fruits and vegetables. Below are some ideas on how to throw a Fall Harvest party that everyone will remember.
Pumpkin Decor
Nothing sets the tone for a Fall Harvest Party like pumpkins. Instead of just serving it as food to your guests, include them in your table setting. Turn a bright orange and hollowed-out pumpkin into a delightfully festive seasonal bowl for chips and other snacks. If you can’t find one that’s big enough to use as a bowl, you can still use it as décor. Arrange mini pumpkins on a plant stand and place them at the centre of the serving or dining table for all of your guests to admire.
Rustic Chic
The color-changing leaves are one of the most beautiful aspects of the season, include them in your table settings to liven the autumn atmosphere. Alternatively you can use bales of hay for seating, and an outdoor bonfire for dessert s’mores. However you choose to incorporate the countryside and the season, all you need to do is walk through your local park to find some inspiration. Take a cue from nature and be careful not to go overboard when using this rustic chic approach to décor.
Scents of the Season
When entertaining guests in your home, they should feel welcome as soon as they walk through the door. This can be achieved by having a warm, homely scent in the air.
Try preheating your oven to 250 degrees and placing your favorite fall seasonings such as cloves, cinnamon sticks, nutmeg and pumpkin pie spices on some aluminum foil with a little water for that delicious, freshly-baked cinnamon bun smell.
Wrap the foil around the mix, leaving a small opening at the top for the fragrance to escape. Ten to fifteen minutes before your guests arrive, place the packet on a cookie sheet and throw it in the oven before turning the oven off. This will send the scents of the season flowing through your home and boost your guests’ appetites.
Put Tools to Good Use
Since much of the focus of fall is on gardening and the arrival of delicious fruits and vegetables, you can bring elements of gardening and harvesting into your party. Select unusual containers such as a sap bucket to hold serviettes or cutlery. Or use an old toolbox as a makeshift cooler box. Surround the cooler with pumpkins, fall berries and leaves to complete the look.
