As the summer months have come to an end and our children are back in school, we welcome the Autumn season and all the beautiful colors that come with it. As most of us in Florida remember, Fall is the time trees shed their leaves, change their color to a reddish hue and fall to the ground. While most of us don’t miss having to rake leaves, it’s easy to miss the vibrant colors that are abundant up north this season. Such colored leaves have come to be colloquially called “fall foliage.”

The origin of the word ‘autumn’ comes from the French word automne and became popular in usage for the season since the 16th century. The term Fall however is said to have become a popular alternative due to the phrase, “fall of the leaves.”

Autumn is typically celebrated as beginning during the September equinox, which is September 23rd, this year. The season “officially” ends on the December solstice (around December 21). On the other hand, meteorologists count the entire months of September, October and November as autumn. Although the days begin to shorten after the summer solstice, it is typically the month of September when twilight becomes noticeably shorter.

Autumn’s association with the transition from warm to cold weather, and its related status as the season of the primary harvest, has dominated its themes and popular images. Images of autumn are usually soft elegant landscapes, cornucopias, vegetables, grains and wheat that ripen at this time. Most ancient cultures featured autumnal celebrations of the harvest, often the most important on their calendars. Obviously this tradition is carried out today with our Thanksgiving celebrations.

We hope this season when you are decorating your home to reflect the beauty outside, or to honor the season that ends the summer heat and humidity here in Florida, that you’ll honor us by placing one of our Fall Baskets, autumn arrangements, cornucopias or elegant centerpieces into your home.