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This is New England in October, part of my New England month by month series. Everything that feels like October to me, all in one place.
October is here. New England girls know exactly what that means.
October is the one month we all agree on. Nobody needs convincing. Nobody’s waiting their turn. The whole town just decides together that magic is real again.
And there is nowhere better to be for it. Half the houses already look like a cozy little witch lives there. We’re the Halloween capital of this country and we barely have to decorate to prove it.
October smells like cold air with something warm running under it. Like the whole town has had something cozy in the oven all day.
Now it’s window stickers in the store that look exactly like the ones in your third grade classroom. Jack o lanterns on the porch. Halloweentown on the TV. A sweater that finally makes sense.
There’s a buzz in October that doesn’t exist any other month. The whole thing feels like the night before something good. You’re eight again, waiting for the sun to go down. Except it lasts thirty one days.
So don’t save it for the weekend. Not here. Munchkins from Dunkies on a Tuesday. Hocus Pocus on a Wednesday. The drive around the neighborhood after dinner just to see the decorations.
New England in October
What October looks like in New England
- The leaves turning, north first, then all the way down to the coast
- A line for cider donuts at every orchard
- Pumpkins on every step, then ghosts, then a full haunted house
- The first night you turn the heat on
- Frost on the windshield one morning and seventy degrees the next afternoon
- Kids picking costumes by the second week
Things to do in New England in October
Take a foliage drive, and go north early in the month and south later. Go apple picking for the late varieties and get the cider donuts while you’re there. Pick a pumpkin from the field, not the bin. Get lost in a corn maze. Do one spooky thing, a haunted walk or a night in an old town. And light a fire the first night it’s cold enough.
October at the front door
Black Oak Leaf Wreath
The front door’s October outfit.
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Faux Mum Drop In
Drop it in the urn and it never wilts.
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Illuminated Vine Pumpkin
Glows on the porch after the sun goes down at six.
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Wooden Pumpkin Cottage Stake Set
A tiny pumpkin village for the flower bed.
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October at the table
Halloween Toile Linen Tablecloth
Traditional at first glance. Look closer.
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Staub Pumpkin Dutch Oven
Soup season deserves this.
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Molly Hatch Halloween Cat Mug
Cider tastes better out of a cat.
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Halloween Delft Coasters
Grandma’s Delft, if grandma was a little bit witchy.
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Riley Sheehey Halloween Plate
For the cider donuts, obviously.
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Cozy corners for October nights
Want the whole setup? Here are 3 cozy corners you can copy this fall.
Ticking Stripe Jack O Lantern Pillow
Ticking stripe keeps it classic. The jack o lantern keeps it fun.
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Nicole Cicak Halloween Harvest Pillow
Folk art for the couch.
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Capri Blue Pumpkin Clove Candle
The candle going in every room, all month.
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Haunted House Glass Candle
A haunted house that smells like an orchard.
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Shadow Casting Votive Holder
Light it and watch the walls.
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A little Halloween whimsy
On a budget? My Halloween decor under $50 list is all cozy witchy, nothing tacky.
Witch Hat Bells Garland
Jingles every time the door opens.
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Halloween Spell Book Box
Hide the remote in it. Or a spell.
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Illuminated Vine Witch Hat
A glowing witch hat for the mantel.
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Wizard Dog Felt Critter
The one guests pick up and say what is this. Exactly.
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Glow in the Dark Spooky Village
Glows after the lights go out.
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Portrait of a Spellweaver
A moody portrait that rewards people who look closely.
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What I’m wearing in October
Jack O Lantern Cardigan
For the pumpkin patch.
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Cozy Pumpkin Sweater
The sweater you’ll wear until November.
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Country Pumpkin Donegal Socks
First fire of the year, feet up.
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More October finds
Everything else on my October list. Tap any photo to shop it.
Prefer to shop it all in one place? See my full October list on ShopMy
New England in October: your questions
When is peak foliage in New England?
It moves from north to south. Northern Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine usually peak around the start of October, and southern New England, including Rhode Island and the coast, usually peaks in the second half of the month. Check the Yankee peak foliage map before you drive.
Is October a good time to visit New England?
It’s the most beautiful month and the busiest one. Book places to stay early, go on weekdays if you can, and pick one small town instead of trying to see everything.
What is the weather like in New England in October?
Crisp and changing. Expect sunny days in the 50s and 60s and cold nights, with the first frost up north. Early October can still feel like September. By Halloween you want a real coat.
What should I wear in New England in October?
Layers. A chunky sweater, a barn jacket or a quilted vest, jeans, and boots you can walk an orchard in. Add a scarf for the nights. Everything I actually wear is in the what I’m wearing section above.
When do New Englanders decorate for Halloween?
October 1. Mums in September, pumpkins and the witchy stuff the minute October hits. The magic only works if you respect the season, so it all stays up for thirty one days.
Want that Halloween feeling without buying much? Here is how to have a nostalgic Halloween.
More New England, month by month
- New England in September
- Every month in the series
- How every month feels inside the mind of a New England girl
- 5 things that make a house feel like fall
- New England gifts: the holiday gift guide
Thirty one days. Spend every single one of them outside.
Shop with me
If you’re a New England girl, you already know. Come find me here:
