With growing up in New England, Autumn is one of the most spectacular times of the year. The leaves are changing, the views are absolutely incredible, it’s sweater weather, and there’s some incredibly delicious food all at the same time. In my eyes – nothing could be better than that.
If you grew up in warmer parts of the U.S., you probably don’t have the same experience, but northern parts of the U.S. and Canada know exactly what I’m talking about. Autumn is so special, which is why when I moved to Australia nearly four years ago, it was one of the things I started to miss the most.
If you’re living in Australia (or anywhere for that matter) and missing a ‘New England Pinterest-Worthy Autumn,’ you came to the right post – small things you can do to getting a little slice of home.
Look the Part
Everyone’s favorite season looks different. For me, Autumn means cozy blankets, chunky sweaters, and booties. With living in Australia, I find that the styles are pretty different from what you would find in the U.S. Stores, especially when it comes to clothing. I have found the best luck for Australia-Appropriate ‘thick‘ sweaters are TK Maxx (the same thing as TJ Maxx in the U.S.) H&M and Zara. Both have a great selection when it comes to Fall Fashion and gives me a similar vibe to what you would find back in the U.S.
Another ‘must‘ in my book is cozy blankets. Once again, TK Maxx has a great selection of blankets, and if you’re craving Homegoods – this is the closest thing to it.
All About Food
If you’re a big foodie, food will probably be one of the things you miss about home. Autumn is such a comforting time in the U.S., with Halloween celebrations, Thanksgiving, pumpkin patches, apple picking, and lots of food in between.
Although Down Under, the seasons are swapped, so Halloween (which isn’t that popular in Australia, to begin with) and Thanksgiving won’t be happening for another 8-9 months, there’s still plenty of ways you can achieve that comfort food feeling.
Apple Cider
Apple Cider is my go-to Autumn drink, so now, whenever I go back home to visit my family, we always purchase multiple jugs of Apple Cider so I can get my fix before I head back to Australia. After years of searching, I have found the Aussie Equivalent of American Apple Cider – Pressed Apple Juice.
When speaking about apple cider in Australia, no one knows what you’re talking about, as alcoholic apple cider is more the norm. In the U.S., we have both, and now in Australia, you can have too.
Specifically, I love the Pure Tassie Organic Pressed Apple Juice. You can find this at all major grocery stores, and it tastes just like apple cider.
Donuts
Mini cinnamon sugar donuts are what I crave in the Autumn months. After an afternoon of apple picking, cozying up with a hot cup of apple cider and fresh mini donuts is my perfect day.
You can find little donuts around many places, especially in Melbourne, where I live right now. There are typical grocery store quality options at Coles, but there are quite a few stands and food trucks nearby that sell fresh donuts.
Pumpkin – Everything!
Another food that is entirely different in Australia is pumpkin. In Australia, pumpkin is more savory and is used in baked dishes just as you would use butternut squash. It’s incredibly delicious – but it’s not the same.
If you’re looking for that typical ‘American-Style Pumpkin,’ I have multiple solutions for you!
- You can simply puree your own pumpkin after roasting a whole pumpkin and blending it.
- In the American section of grocery stores, you can sometimes find puree pumpkin.
- Costco is your best bet! They stock a big can of Libby’s Canned Pumpkin for about $4, which is a steal compared to the grocery store options.
Pumpkin chocolate chip bread is my go-to recipe.
Autumn Scents
Scents put you in the mood, and to me, lighting an Autumn scented candle just instantly brings me joy. The two places that I shop specifically for Autumn candles in Australia are Bath & Body Works and Tk Maxx. Both stock those traditional Autumn scents that you know and love at specific times of the year.
With the seasons being the opposite, sometimes Bath & Body Works will have Autumn scents at random times of the year. I have learned over the years that regardless of its summer in Australia if they have their Autumn candles out – that’s when I stock up!
Activities
Although I have yet to find a pumpkin patch here in Australia, there are many autumn-like activities that you can still do here like:
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Go for a scenic drive
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A Hike
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Apple Picking
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Brewery and Winery Tours
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Scary Movie Marathon
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Bake an Apple Pie
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Have a Fall Picnic
If you’re missing that American-Style Autumn – I hope this post helped you get some inspiration on how you can get that comfort from your old traditions back home but merge them to make new Aussie traditions in a different country.
Some things are harder when it comes to moving than others and there are different parts of home that you’ll miss more. Autumn was one of those things for me, and I hope, regardless if you grew up in New England or not, this post helped you plan an incredible Aussie Autumn!
