How to Host a Fall-Inspired Girls’ Night

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Fall for me is a time to gather.  Gather food and gather friends.  Some of my girlfriends and I created a book club about a year ago, and I can't tell you how much I look forward to our meetings.  There is always good food and great discussion.  It's a guaranteed girls' night once a month and I love planning for it when its my turn to host.

Fall is also the time for candles.  When the garden flowers start to disappear, I replace them around the house with cozy fragranced candles, so I was pleasantly surprised when I learned that Yankee Candle® brand created a line of candles that is carried by Walmart.  Now picking up candles from a brand you trust is even more convenient.

My mom always bought Yankee Candle® brand candles when I was growing up.  She loved the quality and all of the fragrances.  I have great memories of her lighting candles after a full day of cleaning.  To this day, there is just something cozy and peaceful to me about having a clean house, with the dishwasher or laundry going in the background and candles lit.

American Home™ by Yankee Candle® brand candles bring the quality that we've learned to love to the convenient everyday location, Walmart.  Plus, there are several fragrances to choose from.  I decided to try burning two fragrances at one time to create my own signature fragrance.  I choose Creamy Pumpkin Cupcake and Sweet & Salty Caramel.  My house smelled amazing!

When you are using American Home™ by Yankee Candle® brand candles to host your own girls' night, keep these things in mind:

• Light your candles a earlier than you are expecting your guests.  Allowing you candles time to develop a fragrant pool of liquid wax on the top layer will get you the biggest, boldest fragrance possible
• Always place your candles on a heat resistant surface
• Cut the wick to 1/8" to ensure that your flame isn't too big
• Keep candles away from drafts and never leave them unattended
• Let your candles go when you only have about 1/2" of wax left
• Always follow American Home™ by Yankee Candle® brand candle's directions

Once you've decided on the fragrances you are going to be using to create a cozy atmosphere, you need to think about other things to help your guests relax and feel welcomed.  For me, that's extra throw blankets and throw pillows on chairs and the couch.  I don't know about you, but I feel like conversation flows so much more freely if my guests feel at home.  We can have real, heart-to-heart moments when someone comes into my home and lets their guard down.  Throw blankets and pillows add that extra layer of comfort that allows for that sort of ease.

Add a little fall decor by using mini pumpkins or, really, any seasonal produce.  Maybe a bowl of pears or a basket of apples.  I love using produce to help me decorate because it uses less storage space and is much more useful to us in the end.  Either we will eat it, the chickens will get it as a treat or we will add it to the garden compost pile.

Ok, on to the yummy stuff!  I've always wanted to create a cheese board, but have been intimidated by choosing and pairing the fruit, cheese and wine.  Thank goodness for Pinterest!  Upon further research, I learned that the process can be as easy and casual as you like.

I chose two cheeses, two types of fruit, two "vehicles" (bread and/or crackers), one type of nuts, one type of meat and I added some local honey.  I chose apples for one of my fruits because they are a perfect option for fall.  When I went to choose wine, I decided that having a red and a white option was probably best since not all palates are the same.  However, I got off course and bought a white and an apple wine, again because of the season.

The last thing you need to set the mood is music.  I love to play Frank Sinatra or Dean Martin in the background.  Their music adds a level of sophistication to any event and it isn't music that easily drowns out conversation.  If you aren't a Sinatra or Dean Martin fan (Can I ask why not?!), consider instrumental music like jazz or classical.

Download my free checklist for your fall-inspired girls' night here.  And don't forget to check out the American Home™ by Yankee Candle® Brand Page and their page on Walmart.com to see all of the amazing fragrances available!