October is here, and so is the time for sipping hot cocoa in front of the fire, reading poems that send a tingle down your spine, and long walks through crunching leaves. So cuddle up with blankets and poems for today’s Poetry Teatime!

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Let’s begin with a few poems to get us in that beautiful October spirit.

From “October”
By Robert Frost

O hushed October morning mild,
Thy leaves have ripened to the fall;
Tomorrow’s wind, if it be wild,
Should waste them all.
The crows above the forest call;
Tomorrow they may form and go.
O hushed October morning mild,
Begin the hours of this day slow.

From “Theme in Yellow”
By Carl Sandburg

I spot the hills
With yellow balls in autumn.
I light the prairie cornfields
Orange and tawny gold clusters
And I am called pumpkins.
…………………………
I am a jack-o’-lantern
With terrible teeth
And the children know
I am fooling.

It’s October! As Anne of Green Gables would say, “I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.” This is the month to go on long walks and crunch through red and gold and yellow leaves, to look outside of cozy windows at the soft morning fog, and to explore plenty of pumpkin patches and get lost in corn mazes.

So what are we waiting for? Let’s begin celebrating the season with some delightful drinks, fun decorations, and autumnal activities!

Octoberish Treats & Drinks

The season of harvest is upon us, so it’s time to stock up on the bounty of the seasons and enjoy a little something extra for your teatime treats. Try these autumnal ideas for inspiration!

Pumpkin treats: Of course, sometime this fall you need to make pumpkin bread (from The Frugal Girls) and pumpkin pie (from I Wash You Dry). But you should also try some offbeat pumpkin recipes, like these pumpkin snickerdoodles (from No. 2 Pencil) or these no bake pumpkin cheesecake balls (from Who Needs a Cape).
Apple cider: This is a no-fuss drink that’s easy to add to your teatime. Buy the gallon jug from the store and add orange slices and cinnamon sticks when you heat it up.
Apple treats: It’s the season for apple pie (from Midget Mama) and apple crisp (from Humming Homebody). Go for full-out fall goodness with caramel apples (from Adventures of a DIY Mom) or opt for a simple tasty option of apple slices with dips like chocolate or caramel sauce for an easy teatime treat.

Fun Fall Decorations

Time to go for a walk and decorate!

Leaf decorating: Fall is one of the best times of the year for simple and beautiful teatime decorations. All you need to do is go on a nature walk and collect your favorite leaves. Then, arrange them around the table however you want! You can even create a fall leaf wreath like this one from The Mad House or a hanging mobile like this one from The Crafty Crow.
Leaf-creatures: Want some fun leafy friends to join you around the table? Use your imagination to create animals, fairies, or mythical creatures with some paper, pens, and lots of leaves! Find inspiration for your leaf art here from kokokoKIDS.
Pumpkin decorations: If you don’t have any pumpkins, are you really celebrating October? Go ahead and grab some cheap ones and get to work with decorating. You can write on the pumpkins with a sharpie or paint them, like this pumpkin from Good Housekeeping. Or, if you’re especially adventurous and have lots of time, get to work pumpkin-carving!

Autumnal Activities

Try your hand at an October craft

Spooky monster crafts: If you’re up for a slightly more spooky activity, why not try creating your own monster? You can use a template like this one from Personal Creations, or use your own imagination to come up with the beastliest beast you can dream of! Find more ideas here on our Monsters Themed Teatime.
Self-portrait with leaves: Get in the mood for more self-reflection and try creating your own face out of leaves! You’ll need plenty of imagination for this one. Check out a more impressionist take on the portrait here from picklebums, or try a more realist approach like this one from Vyruchalka (images with words in Russian).

Be sure to check out our related themed teatimes on autumn, monsters, Edgar Allan Poe, spooky poetry, and leaf poetry for more inspiration!