Fun Facts About Fall to Prepare For the Season

As the days grow shorter and the nights grow longer, fall brings about a sense of renewal and transformation. 

This season, often associated with cozy sweaters, chunky socks, and pumpkin spice lattes, has been celebrated for centuries. Its beauty is rooted in both science and culture. 

Together, let’s go for a fall walk through the science of leaf change, certain historical traditions, and a whole host of other fun facts about fall.

Facts About Fall

As the first day of fall is here, September 22nd, we can start to anticipate the spectacular display of colorful fall leaves. Have you ever wondered why they change color? The answer has to do with the process of photosynthesis. 

In the spring and summer, leaves appear green because they’re filled with chlorophyll, a pigment that helps plants absorb sunlight and turn it into food. 

However, as fall approaches and the days become shorter, the trees start to prepare for winter. Since there’s less daylight and the temperatures start to drop, photosynthesis begins to slow down and the trees begin to break down the chlorophyll. 

This may be one of the best fun facts about fall: as the green from the chlorophyll begins to dave, other pigments in the leaves – known as carotenoids and anthocyanins take center stage. 

Those yellow and orange pigments come from the carotenoids while the red and purple pigments stem from the anthocyanins. Here’s more on when and why fall leaves change colors. 

Historical Celebrations

For thousands of years, the coming of fall has signaled a season of harvest, gratitude, and preparation for winter. Several ancient civilizations have recognized the importance of the fall equinox. 

It’s a perfectly balanced time when the day and night are almost equal in length, marking an important turning point in the year. Together, let’s explore some of the celebrations associated with autumn. 

The Autumn Equinox

In many cultures, the autumn equinox is an important time to celebrate the balance of light and dark. In ancient societies, this also marked the start of the harvest season; many festivals revolved around thanksgiving for the Earth’s bounty. 

For example, the ancient Celts celebrated Mabon, named after a figure in Welsh mythology. They used the time to honor the second harvest while they feasted and gathered offerings for the Earth. 

Halloween

Coming up on October 31st, people all over the Western World will celebrate Halloween, each in their own way. In North America, kids will be seen out and about trick-or-treating, dressed in their favorite costumes. 

The roots of this day can be traced back to an ancient Celtic festival known as Samhain which marked the end of the harvest and the beginning of winter. It was believed that Samhain was the time when the veil between the physical and spiritual work was thin. So, people lit bonfires and wore costumes to ward off any wandering ghosts. 

Thanksgiving

Perhaps a little more well known, Thanksgiving is another holiday celebrated in North America. You may want to include this in your fall facts for kids: the first Thanksgiving took place in 1621. 

It was a feast shared between the English settlers and the Wampanoag Native Americans who helped the Pilgrims survive their first year in the New World. 

While the exact details of the first Thanksgiving are often debated, the holiday has evolved into a time of gratitude, family gatherings, and an abundance of food. 

Asian Harvest Festivals

Throughout history, cultures all over the world have held festivals in honor of the harvest. In China, the Mid-Autumn Festival, or Moon Festival, is one of the most important holidays. They celebrate it with mooncakes, lanterns, and gatherings under the full moon. 

In Japan, Tsukimi, or moon viewing, is a traditional celebration of the autumn full moon. Together, people enjoy seasonal foods like rice dumplings as they reflect upon the beauty of nature. 

General Fall Harvests

Although pumpkins are synonymous with fall facts, it’s also a time to savor other hearty dishes like apples. With our pumpkin spice lattes, we can also enjoy homemade apple pie or apple cider donuts. This is also the time to harvest root vegetables like potatoes, squash, and carrots. Here are the best locations for apple picking in the U.S. 

Many cultures also use this time of year to make signature dishes to reflect the harvest. In Italy, for example, fall signals the great grape harvest. In Mexico, Día de los Muertos, Day of the Dead, is celebrated from October 31st to November 2nd. During this time, families prepare traditional dishes such as pan de Muerto, a special bread, to honor their deceased loved ones. 

Of course, we can’t forget the harvest of leaves that’s about to befall us. Friends and family all over the U.S. will hop in their cars for some quality leaf-peeping, especially in New England. If that’s something you’re interested in, here’s our list of the best places to see fall foliage across the U.S. 

How Will You Celebrate?

We hope you enjoyed these fun facts about fall. If so, please be sure to share it with friends and family on your favorite social media platforms. 

How will you celebrate? Even if you just take a moment to dance under the light of a full harvest moon, we hope you find this to be a time of renewal, hope, and joy. 

As the weather continues to change and the seasons continue to dazzle us, keep coming back for more of our weather updates. We’ll keep you clued into the turns of the moon, as well as what to expect as winter draws near.