12 fun things to do in September!
September is that magical month when summer hasn’t quite let go, but fall is starting to peek in. Crisp mornings, cozy evenings, and the perfect excuse to bring out the cider and candles! Here are 12 fun (and a little quirky) ways to celebrate September.
1. Decorate for fall.
Go simple with a wreath and a few pumpkins, or go big with faux leaves, fairy lights, and craft projects. Decorating for the seasons isn’t just festive, it’s good for your mental health. It brings joy, sparks creativity, and makes the home feel like a cozy retreat. If you have small kids, craft the decorations with them. Even if you don’t have kids, get out the paper and start crafting.
2. Go Apple Picking (or Visit a Farmers Market)
Few things feel more “September” than gathering apples straight from the tree. Try making apple butter or apple sauce with your harvest, or just stock up at your local farmers’ market. Harvesting your own food is a great way to celebrate fall.
3. Make Homemade Apple Cider
Warm, spiced, and delicious, the house will smell amazing. If you’ve never tried making it yourself, September is the perfect time. It’s easy and delicious! Plus, it makes the house smell amazing. Get my homemade recipe here.
4. Celebrate Oktoberfest
A traditional folk festival to celebrate Bavarian culture. However, the beer is fun too. The festivals usually have games, dancing, music, and lots of yummy German food. Oktoberfest (September 16th through October 3rd) is a lively way to welcome fall. Look for local events with music, food, and fun.
5. Bake a Michaelmas Pie (and Celebrate St. Michael’s Lent)
Celebrate Michaelmas and make an apple blackberry pie. Michaelmas is September 29, and the celebration dates back to the 5th century. It was originally a day of holy obligation for Catholics and was reserved to honor St. Michael the Archangel. Later, St. Gabriel and St. Raphael were added.
St. Michael cast Satan out of heaven. While Satan fell to Earth, he landed on a thorny blackberry bush. Out of anger and defeat, he spat upon the blackberries, turning them bitter. It is believed that part of the Michaelmas celebration was to make an apple blackberry pie, using up the blackberries before the devil could turn them sour.
It is a tradition in our household. Every year we make a pie and celebrate our guardian angels, especially the Archangels.
Another tradition is St. Michael’s Lent, a 40-day period of prayer and fasting that runs from August 15 (the Feast of the Assumption) through September 29. It’s often called the “little Lent” of the fall and was once widely practiced. If you’re looking for a meaningful way to mark the season spiritually, this is a beautiful tradition to revisit or learn more about.
6. Read a Fall-Themed Book
There’s nothing like curling up with a cozy mystery or autumn-themed story. Go to your local library and check out a book with a fall theme to read. Not sure where to start? Good Reads has a great Cozy Autumn Book Shelf. Or take a look at my TBR Autumn list: 8 cozy fall-themed mysteries
My favorite book for little kids is Fletcher and the Falling Leaves by Julia Rawlinson.
7. Host a Bonfire Night
Break out the fire pit, invite friends over, and make it a potluck with fall-inspired dishes. Roast marshmallows, sip cider, and dance under the stars.
8. Cook with Seasonal Produce
Plan meals using food in season. Think apples, pears, squash, and blackberries. Cooking in season is budget-friendly, healthy, and a fun way to be adventurous and get out of a rut.
9. Read the Constitution on Constitution Day
Constitution Day, September 17th. How many of us have actually taken the time to read the Constitution? How can we begin to love and appreciate this country when we haven’t read its most important document? Don’t feel like reading it? Take a free Hillsdale course on it. Hillsdale College offers two free courses on the Constitution, each with only 12 lessons.
10. Take a Nature Walk
Get outside and go for a hike or nature walk. Just 20 minutes a day of outside time reduces stress, helps heal depression and anxiety, and improves sleep and cogitative thinking. Check your city for fall events and activities. Find walking trails, or just sit outside and read the new book you just found. Visit All Trails to find a path near you!
11. Create a Cozy Ambiance with Music
Listen to fall ambiance and relaxing piano music while cooking dinner and eating it. Who really wants to cook dinner? Most of us wish that good food would spawn in and clean itself up once we are done. Since spawning isn’t an option, let’s make cooking more enjoyable and be more present while we make it. Pour a glass of wine or make a fall-inspired cocktail, put on some good music, and dance around the kitchen while you cook a healthy meal with love, drinks, and music. Enlist the help of your family to make it even more meaningful and fun.
12. Use Seasonal Scents
Use an aromatherapy diffuser with seasonal scents. Aromatherapy has been used for centuries. It can boost moods, decrease stress, clean the air, and improve sleep.
My daughter and I love orange cinnamon essential oil for this time of year. The house smells festive!
If you don’t have a diffuser, you can make your own spray using a small spray bottle filled with water and add a few drops of oil. Spray the air in each room. It’s a much healthier Fabreeze.
Another way to spread the scent is to put a small square oil-dropped fabric or paper towel in your vacuum cleaner’s filter. Every time you vacuum, the house will smell like fall.
🍁 Your Turn!
What’s your favorite way to celebrate September? Share in the comments—I love hearing new ideas.
If you’re looking for a cozy fall read, my lighthearted mysteries are a perfect match for sweater-weather afternoons. Don’t forget to join my newsletter for seasonal extras, sneak peeks, and freebies!
“As long as autumn lasts, I shall not have hands, canvas, and colors enough to paint the beautiful things I see.” Vincent Van Gogh
As always, Thanks for stopping by for some Salty Inspirations!
