5 Ways to Create a Festive Theme For Your Fall Party
With the crisp cool fall air rolling in, the season offers a legitimate reason to celebrate with a fall party, which are characterised by warm colour palettes, generous use of in-season ingredients like berries, mint, apples and pears and communal indoor games like Tambola, Musical Chair and Monopoly.
Hence, hosting a festive-themed party for the fall season entails other things than just pre-Xmas decoration.
If you are wondering how to go about hosting a fall party and have reached a dead end in terms of new ideas, here is a comprehensive guide that you can keep referring to.
Food and Beverages
If summers are for bite-sized food that keeps you from feeling too full in the sweltering heat, the fall and winter seasons are ideal for hearty meals. Plan your menu featuring big, homely dishes like apple-cider glazed chicken, roasted root vegetables and butternut squash.
You can even opt for desi dishes like thick and spicy lentils and pumpkin curry. For desserts, offer sweet treats Gajar ka Halwa (carrot pudding) generously laced in ghee or spiced buttermilk ice cream—dishes that would otherwise be too heavy for the summers.
In terms of beverages, consider serving cranberry-based cocktails and alcohol-infused mint chocolate. Masala chai with whole milk is another beverage option for those looking for a warm non-alcoholic drink.
Setting
Take advantage of the crisp, dry weather to host your party outdoors, whether on the rooftop or in your backyard. However, make sure to provide enough blankets, throw pillows and cushions that your guests can snuggle up in as the temperature drops through the day.
If the climate gets significantly colder, use fire pits to light a bonfire in the middle of the gathering spot. To light up your outdoor space, opt for cosy options like soft string lights and electric lanterns.
Activities
Organise fun and interactive activities like pumpkin carving competitions, shaving balloons without bursting them, lucky dips or scavenger hunting with autumn-specific riddles.
As the weather is pleasant, even running around would not feel too exhausting. You can organise timed contests around making origami, painting earthen pots or creating rangoli designs to unleash your guests’ creative sides.
You can also set up a DIY s’mores station around the fire pit by arranging the marshmallows in skewers. The guests can snack on roasted marshmallows while waiting for dinner.
Decor
To mimic the deep fall hues of burnt orange and golden yellow, decorate your tabletop with pumpkins (fresh or ceramic), twigs and pine cones. Echo the cottage-core themes with burlap table runners, wooden trays and crates, and flowers like jasmine and marigold.
Use ikat printed fabrics or Bandhani in bright colours like saffron and cerulean blue for your cushion covers.
Alternatively, you can also use dried flower garlands and succulents as table centrepieces to make your space feel more lived-in, cosy and rustic.
Personalised Touches
Send your guests home with party favours and return gifts that represent the season. They can be small jars of homemade apple jam, nuts and dried fruits coated in spices, or handmade candles with scents of the fall season.
You can even attach a photograph featuring moments from the party as sentimental keepsake.
