Quick question: do you say fall or autumn? In a conversation I say fall, but when I write I prefer to use the word autumn because it sounds fancier; autumn mantel sounds more sophisticated. The irony is how I build seasonal mantels, like our autumn mantel is anything but fancy.
I feel like I have not settled into the Thanksgiving season. Why? because I continue to buy pumpkins everytime I run into the store for milk or creamer. It’s ironic my kids’ favorite book was Too Many Pumpkins, written by Linda White. In my little world, there is no such thing as too many pumpkins.
Oh, coincidentally the author, Linda White, lives in Colorado.
Too Many Pumpkins was my youngest son’s favorite book during fall… I mean Autumn.
I justify the costs of pumpkins because they are in season from September -Thanksgiving. Pumpkins get way more attention than the Easter Bunny who is precariously squeezed between St. Patrick’s Day and Memorial Weekend.
But with manic pumpkin purchase frenzy, there is one space that is the same year after year. The mantel in our family room. It is the seasonal anchor and sets the tone for the rest of the house.
The family room mantel always offers a proper welcome. It’s the feature wall for the main level of our home. The mantel during Autumn is the one constant, year after year. It is familiar and a tradition.
The Welcome Home sign is the year-round staple. It’s on the mantel for every season and holiday. I ordered it online last year and it was love at first sight.
And the rest of the autumn mantel goes like this…
Lights, garland, faux pumpkins, wreath, lantern. Repeat. The last step is crucial because it bulks up the mantel with layers of pumpkins and lanterns and garland and more pumpkins.
May you all find that moment to capture the spirit of Thanksgiving. So before you carve up the turkey, try and carve out a little time for thanks.