COVER STORY
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Autumn is the perfect time of year for a party.
talks to the experts and finds out how to put on a stylish shindig
There is nothing quite like an autumnal gathering. The crisper days, darker nights and delicious seasonal ingredients ensure that parties at this time have a warmth and cosiness – and the stunning foliage provides readymade decorations.
Autumn parties have become much more sophisticated than they used to be, says Lisa Rutherford of John Lewis & Partners. Increasingly, people are choosing to entertain at home to mark the big events of the season, making a huge effort with handmade decorations and colourful food, and lighting firepits to ensure everyone is warm enough when they move outside for fireworks.
There are also many more things to celebrate. Hallowe’en and Bonfire Night have been joined in our collective consciousness by the Mexican festival of the Day of the Dead and Thanksgiving from the United States, and people are more inclined to host seasonally themed cocktail parties and casual dinners. “You can incorporate elements from each kind of festival into your party,” says Valeria Thompson, co-founder of Italian tableware brand Once Milano. Her husband is American and she is Italian – they celebrate Thanksgiving with pumpkins and berries on the table and a tiramisu for pudding.
Cynics might regard the new autumn party season as simply the result of High Street and internet retailers cashing in on gullible consumers with festivals that weren’t originally part of our culture.
Behind all the tat, though, Thompson believes that these festivities are a hugely positive evolution that brings families and friends together at a time of year when – let’s face it – there isn’t a great deal else going on. “When I was younger, I didn’t know what Thanksgiving was, but celebrations like these are a time to stop for a moment and really appreciate our lives,” she says.
“It doesn’t matter what the occasion is; when you’re surrounded by loved ones, you get to see how lucky you really are.”