Gracefully fall into fall: A breakdown of when to display your autumn decor

Are you as confused as me while walking down the street and seeing all those fall decorations — pumpkins, Halloween decor, the full nine yards?

You know that feeling you come across in mid-August, when the sun is still blazing over you, iced coffee in hand, and bam! You’re faced with an autumn dreamland when you walk into a Michaels, HomeSense, or even your local grocery store. I mean, for God’s sake, let people enjoy their summery drinks in peace.

Even seeing all those ghosts, spiderwebs, and scarecrows displayed in front yards suggests folks really fell for fall too early. How can people start carving pumpkins when others haven’t even squeezed out the last drop of summer? There are people I know who are still making plans to go kayaking or paddleboarding.

Yet, there are early-bird porch decorators and shoppers raiding homeware stores like a battlefield for fall-themed pillows, blankets, candles, paintings, and art. 

This is all part of an annual debate on when is the right time to bring out the fall decor. For starters, Starbucks bringing back its seasonal pumpkin spice latte helps people welcome fall a lot early.

And although it can be hard to take sides in this debate, I believe August might not be the time to fully embrace autumn.

We can’t discuss this phenomenon any further without mentioning the Gilmore Girls effect. Every friend group seems to include one fan of this T.V. series, especially amongst teen circles.

They are the kind of people who make Gilmore Girls their lifestyle. They love to don oversized sweaters, while sipping on their pumpkin spice lattes and walking around in Uggs. They have plaid blankets and keep a pumpkin spice candle next to their bed. For them, it’s just not about the season. It’s about the nostalgia, the comfort, the coziness — and that’s why they must chase fall months before the season starts.

But in scientific terms, fall doesn’t start until the end of September — specifically on Sept. 22 in this part of the world — and I love to savour every moment of summer I can. To be already decorating in August for fall is pre-mature and intrusive for me.

By the time fall actually rolls around, the fall-themed home goods and Halloween decorations lose their charm because they were put on display during the tail end of summer.

I believe we should live in the present and forget about the past and future. In the fall or winter, you can’t enjoy those much-loved beach trips, warm golden-hour sunsets, and long days barbecuing. 

You can’t just speed run through a season and move straight onto the next. That’s like skipping several chapters of a book and then complaining about the ending because it didn’t make any sense.

I would not 100 per cent place blame on the people who decorate early as the only culprits. The stores that do not plan their displays based on the current season play a big part in this issue. I suppose they do this because of competition in the market and to get ahead on sales. But the outcome is seeing Halloween candy in grocery shops in September, Christmas ornaments and trees in October, and Valentine’s Day treats in early January.

Although everyone holds different views on when to put out fall decorations, I think Sept. 1 or the first week of September is most ideal. It feels like a tidy time to reset ourselves for a new season.

When it comes to what kind of decor to ring in the fall season with, the best would be carved pumpkins, cozy blankets for the couch, and cinnamon and apple-scented candles. The pieces that give me the ick every year are those inflatable pumpkins, artificial leaves, neon signs that read “Pumpkin spice everything,” and over-stuffed scarecrows, which are too creepy. 

Overall, while I think the fall truly deserves a warm welcome, the transition between seasons should be smooth and non-intrusive.

Let’s allow summer to gracefully fade away after receiving the spotlight it deserves.