Welcome back to part two of my Fall Favorites and Essentials!  Below you’ll discover my favorite food and drinks to snack on, movies to snuggle up with, decorations to put up, and things to do when Fall comes around and the chilly weather settles in!  You can read part one here.

Food & Drinks

• Hot cocoa My own version of hot cocoa includes caramel syrup, marshmallows, whipped cream, and lots of froth. I make mine extra frothy using my hot chocolate maker from Williams-Sonoma. Yes, it does exist.
• Starbucks drinks As y’all know, I’m an avid Starbucks drinker. Even though I drink hot drinks all year round, there’s something about having a warm cup in my hands when it’s chilly outside that really gives me that warm and fuzzy feeling. While I like the PSL, I’m more of a salted caramel latte kind of girl but nothing, I repeat nothing, beats my usual drink: venti nonfat, no whip white mocha with sugar free hazelnut.
• Candy corn I only allow myself to indulge in this sugary snack during October then I’m done until next year. I make sure to keep a bowl handy at my desk at work.
• Pies/cakes Be it pumpkin pie, pecan pie, chocolate cake or spice cake, these desserts always hit the spot after a warm, home cooked meal in the evening.

Movies

• Arsenic and Old Lace (1944) This black and white Halloween classic provides a comedic alternative to all of the scary movies played on repeat during the early part of Fall. Cary Grant hilariously descends into comic madness as he finds out that his two aunts have been poisoning their house guests and burying their bodies in the cellar.
• Scream saga (1996, 1997, 2000, 2011) These four movies are the only modern horror films that I can watch on repeat and not get grossed out or scared. Unlike most of their contemporary genre counterparts, the Scream saga actually has a plot line and characters to sympathize with. So tell me, “What’s your favorite scary movie?”
• Psycho (1960) This psychological thriller is by far one of my favorite movies of all time. I mean, come on…it’s Hitchcock. You can’t do any better.
• Hocus Pocus (1993) Does this even need an explanation? Didn’t think so.
• Dracula (1931) There is no creepier villain than Bela Lugosi’s Dracula. This original black and white version of the horror story is by far my favorite. And guess what?! Tinseltown Cinemas across the U.S.A. will be playing it on the big screen this October. Date night, for sure.
• It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (1966) A childhood classic that never goes out of style. Mom and I always curl up with homemade popcorn for to watch Snoopy as the great Flying Ace and Linus cry over Lucy “killing” the pumpkins.

Home Decor

• Pumpkins Whether they’re real pumpkins or plastic, I love having pumpkins around my house in the fall. For trendy fake pumpkins, look no further than Target or Homegoods. I’m trying out a new DIY project using cheap pumpkins from Walmart by spicing them up with paint and glitter…expect a DIY post within the next couple of weeks!
• Mugs and tumblers It’s no secret that I have an obsession with collecting all kinds of mugs and tumblers.  Whether they’re from Starbucks, Home Goods, or vacation spots, I always find one to bring home.  I found the cutest mug shaped like a halloween cat at Home Goods the other day and it now sits on our kitchen counter next to the TV.
• Candles My office can be quite dreary, especially in the colder months.  I add warmth and delicious smells with Fall themed candles from Bath & Body Works and Home Goods.  Sometimes I have up to three candles burning in my office at the same time!  Currently, I have the Nutmeg Spice Cake scent from Yankee Candle welcoming everyone who steps through my office door.
• Faux fur blanket A faux fur blanket has always been on my wish list for home decor and I finally found one!  At the Bass Pro in the Pyramid of Memphis, of all places.  It’s sooo fuzzy!  I can definitely see a lot of snuggling and movie watching in my Fall future with it!

Activities

• Pumpkin picking & carving Pumpkin picking in a pumpkin patch is a time-honored tradition that I can’t wait to do with my boyfriend.  There’s just something about picking out a pumpkin from where it actually grew that’s so much more satisfying and festive than finding one at Walmart.  Then we’ll have a blast carving the pumpkins into sloppy Jack O’ Lanterns while watching some scary movies!
• Trunk or Treating This version of trick-or-treating usually is hosted or sponsored by a church or community organization.  It provides a safe, controlled environment for children to run around and pick out candy rather than walking the streets at night.  I’ll be dressing up as a cowgirl this year to help run my church’s Trunk or Treat/Fall Festival event so yee haw!
• Scary movie marathon While my boyfriend may not be looking forward to this, I certainly am!  I think one of my favorite memories from college was piling up with tons of snacks with my sorority sisters and watching a Scream marathon.  I’ll be sure to keep the lights on for him, though, just in case he gets a little too scared!
• Bonfires/s’more making My boyfriend and I met at a bonfire on Halloween night last year so you can bet that I’m impatiently awaiting the night we can relive that moment.  And of course, where there’s a bonfire, s’mores have to be somewhere close!