Lifestyle
7 Fall Traditions To Start With Your Mom In Your 20s That Are So Underrated

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Growing up, you and your mom or the mom figure in your life may have had lots of traditions together. You may have baked snowman cookies around the holidays, gone trick-or-treating in your neighborhood, and rode the Ferris wheel every year at the local fair. Even though you're a grown-up now, you still want to have these special moments you can count on with your true day one. How about these fall traditions to start with your mom in your 20s? (Spoiler alert: I think they'll give you a bunch of new memories to look forward to.)

In all honesty, you don't know what you'd do without your mom. She's the one you go to with all of your "real world" questions like, "How long does this pack of chicken need to defrost?" and, "How do I do my taxes?" She's also the reliable and strong human you go to when you need advice on your relationships, friendships, and dreams. You dial her number, wait for her to pick up, and then ask her a million questions about your life. She gives you a blunt, yet hopeful, answer, and then reminds you to stay true to yourself before saying, "Talk to you later."

I think it's time that you two start making some traditions off the phone and in the beauty of fall. Here are seven to get started.

01
Check Out A Local Sunflower Field
Thais Ramos Varela/Stocksy

There are so many outdoorsy activities you and your mom can start doing in the fall. For example, you could go apple picking once or twice a year, check out a local fair, or take a hike on the nearby trails that are covered in orange leaves. Personally, I think you should adventure to a dreamy sunflower maze together. Here's why.

It's the perfect way to get new pictures with your mom and take a break from the "real world" responsibilities. When you're wandering around the field of flowers, you're not thinking about work or whatever's stressing you out at that given moment. You're only thinking, "Let's do it for the 'Gram and make new memories."

02
Bake A Sweet Dessert

Growing up, my mom and I did a lot of baking together. Every season, we had a different kind of cookie, cake, pie, or brownie to make. It's one of the many reasons why I love cooking and being in my apartment's kitchen so much. It's also why I think you need to start a baking-related tradition, too.

Find a recipe you both want to conquer, and gather up the supplies and ingredients you need. Pick an afternoon to whip up the batter, listen to your favorite songs, and put your masterpiece in the oven. Oh, and don't forget to take a bite once it's cooled down.

03
Choose And Read A Book For Pleasure

I don't know about you, but in the fall, I want nothing more than to light a cinnamon-scented candle, snuggle up on the couch with knit blankets, and do cozy things. I want to spend lots of time at home, and only venture out to sip a caffeinated drink at my local coffee shop, watch a movie in the theater, or pick up a good book.

This fall, start the tradition with your mom to choose and read a mystery novel, interesting memoir, or captivating piece of fiction for pleasure. It'll let you wind down and bond with your mom. What more could you ask for?

04
Go Thrift Shopping For Cozy Sweaters
Jesse Morrow/Stocksy

When you were in high school, you may have started raiding your mom's closet. You might have found vintage jean jackets or leather boots she never wore, and claimed them as your own. (Guilty.) That's why you need to start a fall thrift shopping tradition together, like, right now.

Think about it: You two will wander into a consignment shop in the city and go through the jam-packed racks. You'll find cozy sweaters, oversized flannels, and handbags that will perfectly complete your fall #looks. Then, you'll have a fashion show at home to try everything on.

05
Get A Cute Journal And Write In It Together

Fall is a great time to reflect on what's changed in your life, where you're going, and where you've been. It's the perfect time to pull out your resolutions for the year and see how much progress you've made, and also think about what you still want out of your friendships, relationships, and wildest dreams.

Sometimes, those reflections are best processed in a cute journal you share with your mom. Think of it like the jeans from The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. You'll write an entry and fill your mom in on your thoughts, worries, and hopes, and then pass it on for her to jot down her own.

06
Watch A Sunset At The Beach

As far as I'm concerned, you and your mom can, and should, still go to the beach in the fall. There won't be as many crowds because it's no longer peak season, and you can watch the sky turn bright pink together while being bundled up in handmade scarves and cute hats with pom-poms.

Start by finding a night with good weather and texting your mom, "Hey, do you want to drive down to the beach?" After she says yes, pack your car with a picnic dinner and head down to the shore. Lay out a blanket on the sand and spot the stars that begin to come out.

07
Take An International Trip
Kike Arnaiz/Stocksy

How many times have you and your mom said, "One day, we're going to go!" Odds are, a lot — especially when you're chatting about your bucket lists and flipping through the pages of a travel magazine. That's fine, but I think it's about time you two stop relying on the phrase "one day" and start putting some epic plans into motion.

This fall — and every fall after — lay out an itinerary for an international trip and go on it. Stay at the luxury hotels in Rome you've dreamed about, eat the most delicious cuisine, and go on the coolest excursions in Paris. You won't regret it. I pinky promise.

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