- Real Autumn Leaves:
For an authentic autumnal feel that will cost you nothing, take a walk and pick up whatever bright coloured leaves you pass to adorn your floor and recreate that underfoot crunch you love so much within the confines of your own room.
- Pumpkin Spice Flat:
To recapture the flavours that have taken autumn by storm ever since the Pumpkin Spice Latte hit the markets, just gather your favourite autumn spices (cinnamon, allspice, ginger, nutmeg and cloves are my go-tos) and put them on a tray in your oven. Put your oven on a low temperature and leave them there in perpetuity. Your flat should be smelling like spices right away … Alternatively just invest in a good candle or leave the Pumpkin Spice Latte lying around.
- Last Rites:
Everyone knows that autumn is the season of cosy jumpers, autumnal walks and – you guessed it: death. Nothing serves as a better reminder of that than a traditional Catholic last rites ceremony. If you don’t have a priest on hand for the three sacraments, no worries, just grab some Holy Water and multiple candles to evoke a realistic sense of the ceremonial trappings of death in your own home. Other religious ceremonies are also adequate alternatives.
- Partisan Conflict:
Fall is election season in the States, so if you have an American flat mate, particularly one experiencing their first election year abroad, make sure to make them feel more comfortable by plastering your flat with red or blue signs with surnames on them. Get them to pick a side to aggressively defend to get into the true international political spirit.
- Gourds and Pumpkins:
Nothing screams autumn more than the sight of fresh pumpkins and gourds on a porch. To save some time and money, instead of picking out individual vegetables, buy a canned fall vegetable mix and just display the contents in a nice bowl as the centre piece of your table. This is a cheap alternative to potpouri, but does eliminate the fun element of pumpkin carving. Make sure you don’t leave it out for too long.
[Image: Unsplash @ Pexels]