How to Celebrate Fall Like Martha Stewart

martha making wreath vintage photo — Photo: Stewart Ferebee

Whether it's the dead of summer or a fresh blanket of snow has just kissed the ground, Martha is all about enjoying each of the four seasons in their entirety. And while she'll never shy away from the opportunity to host a summer soirée or a Christmas brunch, our founder's favorite time of year is undoubtedly fall. From her iconic Halloween costumes (which she looks forward to devising every year) to the stunning foliage that takes over her farm in Bedford, N.Y., Martha is an authority when it comes to celebrating fall. To ensure you get everything out of the season that you possibly can this year, we're sharing a few of Martha's must-dos comes autumn.

01 of 13

Make a Halloween Costume

Martha Stewart in her Halloween costume as Fairy GrandMartha

Something we look forward to every year is finding out which costume Martha has chosen to wear for Halloween. From GrandMartha (a play on the fairy godmother caricature) to Motha (an ensemble designed to look like a moth), Martha is no stranger to a well-thought-out Halloween costume. This year, pay homage to the All Hallows' Eve queen herself by making your own ensemble.

02 of 13

Decorate for the Season

iron plant stand holding pumpkins at Martha's Bedford home

Martha never misses a chance to decorate her residence in Bedford, N.Y.,—and fall is no exception. In this decorative display, Martha used her wrought-iron plant stand to display pumpkins, and thoughtfully finished off the look with leaf garlands in hues of red, orange, and brown. One of her beloved Chow Chows blends perfectly into the autumn scene.

03 of 13

Make Homemade Apple Cider

Martha Sewart pressing apples into a barrel for apple cider — Paola + Murray

One thing Martha always has time for come fall is making homemade apple cider with her granddaughter June. She puts her bounty of apples in a hand-crank press and runs the fruit through until there's enough pulp to make a batch of cider.

04 of 13

Serve Seasonal Cocktails

Cocktail served at Martha Stewart x Marley Spoon Friendsgiving event on Nov. 1st, 2022 — Courtesy of Nashia Baker

With fall comes delicious new seasonal flavors to enjoy, which Martha loves to work into her cocktails on special occasions. Her signature Apple Cider Bourbon Sour was a hit last year—the drink features bourbon (Martha's favorite is Michter's Kentucky Straight Bourbon), apple cider, and lemon juice.

05 of 13

Host a Bonfire

fire pit on stone patio area martha's bedford property — Courtesy of The Martha Blog

Few things are more enjoyable than ending the night around a cozy bonfire on a crisp autumn night—a sentiment Martha knows well. On her farm, she has two huge cast iron sugar kettles (which weigh more than 300 pounds) that she keeps as fire pits.

06 of 13

Bake a Pie

Of course, it wouldn't be fall for Martha without a day spent baking seasonal desserts. At past Thanksgiving celebrations, she has set up an entire table filled with various flavors of pie, from apple and pumpkin to bourbon brown butter pecan and Atlantic beach pie (one of Martha's favorites).

07 of 13

Serve Candy to Trick-or-Treaters

Martha's fall decor and gift bags — Courtesy of the Martha Stewart blog

Make like Martha (who gets about 100 trick-or-treaters every Halloween!) and provide revelers with homemade treat bags filled with goodies, like Snickers, Hersheys, and Twix. One year she even put a $1 bill into each bag as an extra surprise.

08 of 13

Visit the Pumpkin Patch

martha pumpkins october 2017 cover — John Dolan

It's not fall without a trip to the pumpkin patch. Visit your local haunt and gather up some gourds in various colors and sizes to carve, include in your fall porch display, and turn into roasted seeds.

09 of 13

Create a Themed Tablescape

pumpkin centerpiece on the table — Ngoc Minh Ngo

When attending a party hosted by Martha, expect a beautiful tablescape that leans into the event's theme. During fall, this means a display of gourds dotting the table. In the display pictured here, Black Futsu and Long Island Cheese pumpkins, as well as bowls of knobby black radishes, make for a beautiful autumnal centerpiece.

10 of 13

Bake a Spooky Dessert

Come Halloween, Martha can't resist baking a dessert that's just as bone-chilling as the holiday itself. Follow suit by whipping up this scream-worthy graveyard pie. Chocolate and vanilla ice cream are layered into graham cracker crust. The "cemetery" is made with skull candies affixed to cookies with melted chocolate.

11 of 13

Carve a Pumpkin

etched woodland animal pumpkins fox rabbit halloween decorations — Ngoc Minh Ngo

During fall, you'll find a pumpkin patch's worth of gourds dotting Martha's property. And of course, some of them are turned into Jack O' Lanterns. Whether you prefer something more sinister or the cute woodland creatures pictured here, be sure to make time for your own pumpkin carving party this year.

12 of 13

Enjoy Fall Flowers

Colchinium — Courtesy of the Martha Blog

Martha's garden is in full bloom come fall. Amongst the many flowers on her property, you'll find the autumn perennial colchicum. The plant produces beautiful lavender-hued blooms and Martha has enjoyed its color over the seasons. She's planted a number of colchicum bulb-like corms around her farm, including under her iconic bald cypress trees.

13 of 13

Make Themed Place Cards

turkey sculpture place cards with grandchildren's names — Matthew Williams

No tablescape is complete without place cards. Not only are they part of your tablescape design, but they also help guests locate their seats. For these Thanksgiving place cards, Martha wrote her guests' names in gold on a brown backdrop and affixed them to the feathers of faux turkeys.

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