When the air starts getting crisp and the smell of pumpkin pie spice is all around, then you know that it is truly fall. It’s time to dig out sweaters, stock up on Halloween treats, and make room in the freezer for the holiday turkey. But there are probably things about the season that you do not know. Check these nine fun facts out and get ready to smile!
Only America Calls it Fall
The season was originally just called harvest and autumn came around much later in the 1300s, according to CNN. When English poets started using the phrase “the fall of leaves” it became very fashionable to call the season fall. But by the mid-1800s, after the split of the colonies from England led to language change, England reverted back to Autumn and the American upstarts retained fall.
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Pumpkin Pie Spice Doesn’t Taste Like Pumpkin
There isn’t even any real pumpkin in it either. Pumpkin pie spice is the mixture used in pumpkin pies. Today you can find pumpkin pie spice flavored lattes, donuts, cookies, candles, and even air fresheners.. You can make your own pumpkin pie spice with this recipe from Taste of Home.
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There are More Than 7,500 apple Varieties
There is an amazing amount of apple varieties that are grown around the globe. According to The Best of Life there are 2,500 types grown in the US and 7,500 types in total. Since apples are so good for you, you can choose the one you like and make sure to eat one a day to keep the doctor away.
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There’s a Candy Corn Day
There’s actually a day devoted to this Halloween classic treat, candy corn, according to Today’s Parent. It falls on October30, giving you just enough time to stock up on some. But you don’t have to wait until Halloween to enjoy – or hate – this highly opinionated candy, because there is now themed candy corn for Christmas, Valentine’s Day, and Easter.
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You Can See the Brightest Full Moon in Fall
The full moon in the fall that occurs during the equinox is much brighter (almost orange) and rises much earlier than a typical full moon. This full moon, called the Harvest Moon) occurs sometime in September or October and it was very helpful for farmers who used the moonlight to help harvest their crops according to The Best of Life.
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Bobbing for Apples was a Courting Ritual
This old-fashioned Halloween party game originally started as a British courting ritual according to Redbook. Men were assigned an apple and the women would bob for them trying to get the right apple from the man she has her eye on. If she was successful, it was taken as an omen that they were meant to be together.
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It’s Pumpkin Carving Time
With pumpkin season coming in fall, that means pumpkin carving time. While most people think of Halloween jack-o-lanterns, pumpkin carving has been elevated to a folk art. You can check out these masterpieces in October.
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Fall Leaf Colors are Caused by Sugar
Everyone loves those colorful leaf colors in the fall from vibrant reds to eye-popping bright oranges, but did you know that the color the leaves turn is based on how much sugar is in the leaves, according to One Country. That’s why maple leaves are such a brilliant red color.
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